The House of Hades: The reading!
by charisma26
Summary: Camp Half Blood is distressed, tired and sad - so what happens when they receive a package labeled 'The house of Hades? Follow the Camp as they follow their friends progress along the quest through all the ups and downs! Welcome to Camp Half Blood reads the House of Hades! enjoy! :) pls R&R my lovelies! :) WILL BE FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1 - HAZEL

Disclaimer: In no way does this series, or the characters, belong to me! :( so yeah... thought about writing this as soon as I read the book (which WAS FLIPPING AWESOME BY THE WAY) so I hope y'all enjoy and please R&R! :)

The campfire was dull. many people were subdued and quiet - even Connor and Travis had sad looks plastered on their faces - the war with Gaia had begun and their friends, Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Leo and Jason had all left, sailed away on a dangerous quest that everyone knew was a death wish. Fun huh? Most of the people were worried about Percy - not because he was their favourite, it had nothing to do with that, but because they hadn't seen him in eight months and had no clue what so ever if he was even alright. And that was what was worst - not knowing. their friends had left weeks ago and no news had come to them. Was everyone alright? had something gone wrong? nobody knew.

"Demigods, campers - I have a very special announcement to make" Chiron roared, and hundreds of eyes peered up at him.

"This is beyond imaginable but it seems we have been granted a book to read as a group... a book recording the events of the current quest our friends are on" He told them all in a serious voice and gasps of surprise filled the quiet night air.

"How is that possible?"

"Is this a joke?"

"Absolutely absurd"

"Thank the gods for some news"

"A book - how boring" Was a few of the things that spluttered from people's mouths in shock. Many of them couldn't believe it - it seemed unreal and impossible but many of them were secretly thrilled with the idea - they would at least know what was going on with their friends and that was worth wasting a few days.

"I understand your shock but please quieten down - we have guests arriving" And as soon as Chiron muttered that Thalia and the hunters of Artemis arrived, eyes moving in every which way direction. Most of the hunters peered around suspiciously but Thalia was the only one that looked happy to be back.

"Chiron we're here what has happened?" She queried, looking around.

"As I was just explaining, we have been given a book by the fates recording the adventures of the quest" And everyone could see the tears beginning to glisten in Thalia's eyes, tears of happiness though they summarised.

"We'll find out if they're alright?" Thalia asked in happiness, springing forward and joining the demigods around the campfire.

"Yes we will" Chiron smiled back, trotting forward carrying a rather large book in his hands, "Now, forgive my quickness, but I suggest we get started soon - with the war looming behind us we can't waste too much time" And everyone agreed, silently sitting forward in their seats, eager for news.

**HAZEL **Chiron read in a clear voice and most of the demigods frowned.

"Hazel... whose hazel?" Travis queried and Katie hit him over the head.

"Well maybe if you didn't interrupt we would find out" She scolded, half playfully.

**DURING THE THIRD ATTACK, Hazel almost ate a boulder. **

"Disgusting" Drew spat, shaking her head and many people glared at her - these people were on a DANGEROUS QUEST for crying out loud and she had the nerve to do THAT? Thalia smirked evilly as her hands crackled with energy and Drew gulped.

**She was peering into the fog, wondering how it could be so difficult to fly across one stupid mountain range, when the ship's alarm bells sounded. **

"Leo made that ship really well" Nyssa praised, giving a small sad smile at the thought of her brother.

"Oh yeah, Leo is totally awesome" Connor shouted, fist bumping his brother and no one objected - Leo was pretty cool.

**"Hard to port!" Nico yelled from the foremast of the flying ship. **

"Nico" Thalia smiled in genuine joy, "I'm so glad he's alright" And half the campers nodded - the ones that actually weren't afraid of him - while the others just sort of shrugged... they were still suspicious of him.

**Back at the helm, Leo yanked the wheel. The _Argo II_ veered left, its aerial oars slashing through the clouds like rows of knives. **

"That's amazing marksmanship" Boomed Leo's brother, laughing out loud and the sound was like music to peoples ears - laughing was almost impossible these days.

**Hazel made the mistake of looking over the rail. A dark, spherical shape hurtled toward her. ****She thought: Why is the moon coming at us? **

**"**Stupid girl" Drew tutted and everyone glared at her.

"Hey, Barbie girl, zip it up or else I'll zap you so hard even Aphrodite's straightners wont fix your hair" Thalia growled and the rest of the camp smirked.

"Yeah and I'll make sure everyone plant you come in contact with will ruin your clothes" Katie glared

"And we'll swap all your make-up for nasty things with bugs and-" Chiron cut off Travis with a purposeful cough and the campers returned to reading, smirking at Drew's affronted, disgruntled face.

**Then she yelped and hit the deck. The huge rock passed so close overhead, it blew her hair out of her face. **

"I like this girl already" someone whispered though no one knew who it was.

**_CRACK!_ **  
** The foremast collapsed-sail, spars, and Nico all crashing to the deck. **

"Ouch" Miranda Gardener, Katie's sister, muttered, pulling a face.

"TOUGHEN UP SQUIRT" Mark from the Ares cabin thundered, a dangerous glint to his eyes.

**The boulder, roughly the size of a pickup truck, tumbled off into the fog like it had important business elsewhere. **

"Okay I definitely like the way this girl thinks" Travis muttered and everyone noticed the sad, jealous look Katie got but they didn't say anything.

"Me too" Will from the Apollo cabin smirked and all the girls rolled their eyes - boys.

**"Nico!" Hazel scrambled over to him as Leo brought the ship level.**

Will wolf whistled, "Does Nico have a girlfriend?" He questioned, and people smiled but the whole of the Aphrodite shook their heads.

"It's not a romantic kind of worry I'm feeling" Lacy squeaked and Connor and Travis grinned widely.

"Wanna bet?" Showing ten drachma's in their hands, "You're on" Lacy replied, smiling smugly.

**"I'm fine," Nico muttered, kicking folds of canvas off his legs. **

"I gotta give it to the kid, he's not bad at holding his own weight" Clarisse praised and everyone just sort of looked at her like 'OMG_ Clarisse are you okay? what in hades has happened to you?' _But her glare made everyone turn away.

"Yes I complimented the punk and that's more than most of you will ever get" She growled, showing her madness but secretly she was pleased that, so far, he was alright - now they just needed to hear about the rest of their friends.

**She helped him up, and they stumbled to the bow. Hazel peeked over more carefully this time. The clouds parted just long enough to reveal the top of the mountain below them: a spearhead of black rock jutting from mossy green slopes. Standing at the summit was a mountain god-one of the _numina montanum_, Jason had called them. **

**"**It's ourae in Greek" Malcolm from the Athena cabin spoke up and people just nodded - don't get into a fight with the brainiac's, just don't.

**Or _ourae_, in Greek. **

"Geek" Travis and Connor coughed at the same time but before a fight broke out Chiron continued to read, flipping the page.

**Whatever you called them, they were nasty. **

"That's an understatement" Thalia shivered, having come into close contact with them before.

**Like the others they had faced, this one wore a simple white tunic over skin as rough and dark as basalt. He was about twenty feet tall and extremely muscular, with a flowing white beard, scraggly hair, and a wild look in his eyes, like a crazy hermit. **

"Urghhhh" Drew spat out and everyone glared at her - even her brother Mitchell who whispered in her ear, "Drew shut up before they throw you out"

**He bellowed something Hazel didn't understand, but it obviously wasn't welcoming. With his bare hands, he pried another chunk of rock from his mountain and began shaping it into a ball. **

"Please someone get them out of there" Young Shane from the Hephaestus cabin muttered and Nyssa gave him a comforting hug.

**The scene disappeared in the fog, but when the mountain god bellowed again, other _numina_ answered in the distance, their voices echoing through the valleys. **  
** "Stupid rock gods!" Leo yelled from the helm. "That's the _third_ time I've had to replace that mast! You think they grow on trees?" **

Everyone laughed, even Thalia who wasn't too fond of Leo because he kept hitting on her laughed whole heartily.

"Honestly Leo" Butch gasped for air, "Masts ARE from tree's" Wiping the tears from his eyes.

**Nico frowned. "Masts _are_ from trees." **

"Exactly my thoughts nickey" Butch smiled.

**"That's not the point!" Leo snatched up one of his controls, a jury-rigged Nintendo Wii stick, and spun it in a circle.**

**"**I remember when he made that" Lou Ellen from the Hecate cabin smirked, "We all thought he was nuts"

"Leo IS nuts" Nyssa pointed out and that just made everyone laugh more.

** A few feet away, a trapdoor opened in the deck. A Celestial bronze cannon rose. Hazel just had time to cover he ears before it discharged into the sky, spraying a dozen metal spheres that trailed green fire. The spheres grew spikes in midair, like helicopter blades, and spun away into the fog. **  
** A moment later, a series of explosions crackled across the mountains, followed by the outraged roar of mountain gods. **

"Whoop whoop" Many cheered, and Phoebe from the Artemis hunters began to join in - what? it was infectious.

**"Ha!" Leo yelled. **  
** Unfortunately, Hazel guessed, judging from their last two encounters, Leo's newest weapon had only annoyed the _numina_. **  
** Another boulder whistled through the air off to their starboard side. **  
** Nico yelled, "Get us out of here!" **

"That would probably be a goo-" Clovis began to say before his head dropped and he fell back asleep with a loud snore.

**Leo muttered some unflattering comments about _numina_, but he turned the wheel. The engines hummed. Magical rigging lashed itself tight, and the ship tacked to port. The _Argo II_ picked up speed, retreating northwest, as they'd been doing for the past two days. **  
** Hazel didn't relax until they were out of the mountains. The fog cleared. Below them, morning sunlight illuminated the Italian countryside-rolling green hills and golden fields not too different from those in Northern California. **

**"**Wow they're near Italy" Thalia admired, "Annabeth always wanted to go there to see Doge's palace, amazing architecture apparently" Thalia smiled but that smile soon fell when she realised that Annabeth wouldn't be able to visit anything because they were fighting a war in which Thalia couldn't help her directly.

"Saying that... when are Percy and Annabeth going to pop up? I want to hear about them?" And everyone nodded excitedly.

**Hazel could almost imagine she was sailing home to Camp Jupiter. **

"Okay so she's definitely a roman... how comforting" James from the Ares cabin muttered, looking murderous.

"These romans are not our enemies so please, remain calm" Chiron implored.

**The thought weighed on her chest. Camp Jupiter had only been her home for nine months, since Nico had brought her back from the Underworld. **

**"**Brought her back? was she trapped or something?" Katie asked in bewilderment and everyone just shrugged.

"Let's read and find out" Kayla from the Apollo cabin murmured, leaning forward in interest.

**But she missed it more than her birthplace of New Orleans, and _definitely_ more than Alaska, where she'd died back in 1942.**

"SHE DIED?!" Everyone hollered at the same time in unison, almost making the earth shake with how loud they all were.

"It's a miracle"

"Impossible"

"What in Hades - "

"Man that girl is goooooood"

"That is beyond almost anything I have ever seen" Chiron told everyone whose jaws were slack.

"So why did Nico rescue her then?" Thalia asked curiously but no one answered immediately, to shell shocked to do anything but gawk at the book.

"Maybe he, like, made friends with her in the underworld, the kid spends half his time down there" Malcolm offered but he looked rather unsure of his answer - everyone was completely clueless.

**She missed her bunk in the Fifth Cohort barracks. She missed dinners in the mess hall, with wind spirits whisking platters through the air and legionnaires joking about the war games.**

Still to shocked about someone coming back to the dead, even Travis and Connor didn't say anything about the wind spirits offering first class service.

** She wanted to wander the streets of New Rome, holding hands with Frank Zhang. **

"SEE?" Lacy screamed making everyone jump out of their seats, "It's not romantic because she has a boyfriend" She said much quieter, looking embarrassed at her outburst.

"But that doesn't mean there can't be a love triangle" Connor and Travis wiggled their eyebrows and Lacy just sighed in exasperation.

**She wanted to experience just being a regular girl for once, with an actual sweet, caring boyfriend. **  
** Most of all, she wanted to feel safe. She was tired of being scared and worried all the time. **  
** She stood on the quarterdeck as Nico picked mast splinters out of his arms** "Ouch" **and ****Leo punched buttons on the ship's console. **  
** "Well, _that_ was sucktastic," Leo said. "Should I wake the others?" **

"They're taking it in shifts - that's a good plan" Steve from the Athena cabin approved, nodding his head.

**Hazel was tempted to say yes, but the other crewmembers had taken the night shift and had earned their rest. They were exhausted from defending the ship. Every few hours, it seemed, some Roman monster had decided the _Argo II_ looked like a tasty treat. **

People growled under their breath and Thalia was the only one that had enough courage to glare at Chiron.

"The romans are our friends eh? then they shouldn't attack them" But Chiron just sighed tiredly, "The romans don't like us, that's known, but the ones on the ship are clearly on our side" And Thalia looked away, too worried about her friends to argue with him any more.

**A few weeks ago, Hazel wouldn't have believed that anyone could sleep through a _numina_ attack, but now she imagined her friends were still snoring away belowdecks. Whenever _she_ got a chance to crash, she slept like a coma patient. **

"That sounds like something Percy would say" Nyssa commented and everyone looked up ad focused on the book - when would they hear about Percy? they needed to know NOW or else..

**"They need rest," she said. "We'll have to figure out another way on our own." **  
** "Huh." Leo scowled at his monitor. In his tattered work shirt and grease-splattered jeans, he looked like he'd just lost a wrestling match with a locomotive. **  
** Ever since their friends Percy and Annabeth had fallen into Tartarus, **

**"**WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Was screeched in pain filled voices and Chiron felt the book slipping from his hand... no, this can't be, he thought sadly, his hooves shaking, not them please, he silently begged to what ever gods were happening to be listening.

"No" Thalia sobbed, tears running down her face, spilling her eyeliner all over her face, "NO"

"oH GOD" Malcolm cried out as he and his brothers and sisters clung to one another in desperation. Travis and Connor just stared glumly at one another, faces scrunched up while Katie fell to her knees, clawing at the ground.

"This can't be happening" Kayla from the Apollo cabin murmured, clinging to her brother Will for dear life while Shane and Harley, the two kids from the Hephaestus cabin wiped their snotty nosed and cried openly.

"Annabeth, Percy" Thalia croaked, staring at the book in pain while Chiron picked it up with shaky hands.

"Tartarus?" Clarisse questioned, still as a statue, eyes brimming with tears which she determinedly held back - no, they would make it - they had to... they were Percy and Annabeth for crying out loud, the two heroes of this century, if anyone could make it THEY COULD, she HAD to believe that. Clarisse looked around at the devastated looks of her fellow campers faces and stood up, calling everyone's attention.

"Stop this" She said and everyone stared at her in shock, "Percy and Annabeth-" She choked up on their names but willed herself to be strong, someone had to, "Percy and Annabeth are remarkable people, they're strong and willed and together they WILL make it through this and we have to trust them, we HAVE to put our faith in them" And many of the campers held back their tears now, "If anyone can do it - it's them" And with that she sat back down, grabbing a hold of Chris's hand just to know he was there.

"Clarisse is right" Thalia muttered, wiping away her tears, "It's devastating but those two? they can pull through anything and we just have to pray that they make it out safe" And everyone nodded and Clarisse gave Thalia a thankful look. Everyone bowed their head, silently praying for their friends, hoping that this would help, even in some small way.

When the prayer had ended some of the campers still looked incredibly sad (even Drew had enough sense to look defeated) but now they looked hopeful because they knew, they knew, that Percy and Annabeth wouldn't give up - they just wouldn't.

"I shall continue then" Chiron said, trying to keep optimistic but it was hard but he had to do it for the children.

**Leo had been working almost nonstop. He'd been acting angrier and even more driven than usual. **

"Leo's a good friend" Katie murmured and everyone saw the tear streaks still plastered on her, now, pale face - Travis grabbed a hold of her hand in support.

**Hazel worried about him. But part of her was relieved by the change. Whenever Leo smiled and joked, he looked _too_ much like Sammy, is great-grandfather...Hazel's first boyfriend back in 1942. **

"That's creepy" Connor muttered, hoping to lighten the mood even though the last thing on his mind was joking about - a few people let out smiles but that was about it.

**Ugh, why did her life have to be so complicated? **

"Welcome to the life of a demigod sweetheart"

**"Another way," Leo muttered. "Do you see one?" **  
** On his monitor glowed a map of Italy. The Apennine Mountains ran down the middle of the boot-shaped country. A green dot for the _Argo II_ blinked on the western side of the range, a few hundred miles north of Rome. Their path should have been simple. They needed to get to a place called Epirus in Greece **

**"**Oh that place" Thalia sighed, already fearing the worst - everyone's mod darkened considerably more.

**and find an old temple called the House of Hades (or Pluto, as the Romans called him; or as Hazel liked to think of him: the World's Worst Absent Father). **

"She's a daughter of PLUTO? Nico's SISTER?" Phoebe hollered, obviously knowing Bianca and thinking how she would have been with a sister.

"Another child of the big three" Thalia smiled slightly, "And everyone thought Percy was-" But she cut herself off, going back to staring at the ground - thinking about Percy was just too hard.

"Now that's a twist" Connor said in admiration.

**To reach Epirus, all they had to do was go straight east-over the Apennines and across the Adriatic Sea. But it hadn't worked out that way. Each time they tried to cross the spine of Italy, the mountain gods attacked. **

"I wish we could help" Jake spoke up, sighing sadly and everyone nodded.

"Unfortunately we can't - this is their battle - but we'll do what we can here to help" Chiron told them all wisely.

** For the past two days they'd skirted north, hoping to find a safe pass, with no luck. The _numina montanum_ were sons of Gaea, Hazel's least favorite goddess. That made them _very_ determined enemies. The _Argo II_ couldn't fly high enough to avoid their attacks; and even with all its defenses, the ship couldn't make it across the range without being smashed to pieces. **

Everyone just winced at the complete and utter _sucky _situation their friends were in.

**"It's our fault," Hazel said. "Nico and mine." The _numina_ can sense us." **

"Don't blame yourself"

**She glanced at her half brother. Since they'd rescued him from the giants, **

"Poor Nico - he's been through too much already" Thalia sighed sadly for her cousin.

"The kid is stronger than he looks" Clarisse spoke up and immediately Connor and Travis nodded - they spent some time with him in the Hermes cabin before his sister died and even then they saw potential in him.

**he'd started to regain his strength, but he was still painfully thin. **

**"**He needs his five-a-day" Katie said, regaining back some of her perkiness - but only a little.

**His black shirt and jeans hung off his skeletal frame. Long, dark hair framed his sunken eyes. His olive complexion had turned a sickly greenish-white, like the color of tree sap. **

Drew gagged and even some of the campers, not very many, didn't even look angered by that and Thalia, fed up with that BARBIE zapped her with lightning, sending her flying into the nearest tree. The fighting got so bad Chiron had to calm everyone down and ten minutes later they all sat back down, relatively calm, but Drew's dress was in tatters, mud framed her face, her hair looked like Einstein's and she was glaring daggers at Thalia.

**In human years, he was barely fourteen, just a year older than Hazel; but that didn't tell the whole story. Like Hazel, Nico di Angelo was a demigod from another era. **

"At least they share something in common" Will said, hoping to diffuse some of the tension... it didn't work.

**He radiated a kind of _old_ energy-a melancholy that came from knowing he didn't belong in the modern world. **

"That is the perfect way to describe it" Jake mason said, clicking his fingers, "I couldn't place it but YES, that and a really creepy aura too" And Thalia nodded - it was true, no one could deny that.

** Hazel hadn't known him very long, but she understood, even shared his sadness. The children of Hades (Pluto-whichever) rarely had happy lives. And judging from what Nico had told her the night before, their biggest challenge was yet to come when they reached the House of Hades- a challenge he'd implored her to keep secret from the others. **

"Keeping secrets never works out" Malcolm said, the first time he had spoken since they got the news about Percy and Annabeth - some nodded but others disagreed.

"It may be for the best, if they worry too much that could distract them" And Thalia zoned out of the whole conversation - her thoughts still plagued by the absolute hell Annabeth and Percy must be going through, if they were even alive. Thalia shook her head violently - yes, yes they were alive dammit, she had to believe that.

**Nico gripped the hilt of his Stygian iron sword. **

**"**Good weapon that" Mark from Ares said, cracking his knuckles, he liked anything dangerous.

**"Earth spirits don't like children of the Underworld. That's true. We get under their skin-_literally_. But I think the _numina_ could sense this ship anyway. We're carrying the Athena Parthenos. That thing is like a magical beacon." **

"WHOA - NO FRIGGING WAY" Malcolm and practically everyone in the Athena cabin screeched "They found it, they found it" And Chiron smiled, truly smiled - yes, he knew this quest would be a success with demigods like this. When the campers just went 'huh' Malcolm explained the whole story and now everyone was sharing in their excitement.

**Hazel shivered, thinking of the massive statue that took up mosty of the hold. They'd sacrificed so much, saving it from the cavern under Rome; but they had no idea what to do with it. So far the only thing it seemed to be good for was alerting more monsters to their presence. **

"Oh trust me it will do more than that" The child of Athena, Hannah, said in complete awe.

**Leo traced his finger down the map of Italy. "So crossing the mountains is out. Thing is, they go a long way in either direction." **  
** "We could go by sea," Hazel suggested. "Sail around the southern tip of Italy." **

And just like that the mood darkened immediately - even just the mention of the word 'sea' made them think of Percy and everything that he had sacrificed. Thalia wiped away a tear, promising herself to be strong. Chiron, not wanting the children to dwell of the pain too much continued reading.

** "That's a long way," Nico said. "Plus, we don't have..." **  
** His voice cracked. "You know...our sea expert, Percy." **

"Percy" Katie murmured and Nyssa hugged Shane and Harley - he was their saviour and he was gone that made them feel broken inside.

**The name hung in the air like an impending storm. **

Exactly like it did at Camp Half Blood - quite literally. Thalia's emotions were all over the place that a few spots of rain hit the campers and it NEVER rains there.

**Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon...probably the demigod Hazel admired the most. **

**"**everyone admires him - even Clarisse" Connor said, trying to smile but it didn't work. The sadness had returned full pelt and everyone was in various states of distress i.e) Thalia who looked broken and Drew who was filing her nails.

**He'd saved her life so many times on their quest to Alaska; **

**"**Good old Percy"

**but when he had needed Hazel's help in Rome, she'd failed him. **

**"**She shouldn't think like that it will destroy her" Lacy said, shocking everyone - who knew an Aphrodite kid could be that insightful and clever?

**She'd watched, powerless, as he and Annabeth had plunged into that pit... **

Literally everyone shivered, even Chiron - no one could imagine anything worse than going to Tartarus... not even Chiron and he had witnessed some pretty terrible things n his years.

"They're alive, they're alive I know it" Thalia chanted to herself, trying to remain positive.

**Hazel took a deep breath. Percy and Annabeth were still alive. She knew that in her heart. **

"They are"

**She could _still_ help them if she could get to the House of Hades, if she could survive the challenge Nico had warned her about... **

"Uh-oh"

**"What about continuing north?" she asked. "There _has_ to be a break in the mountains, or something." **

"I wouldn't count on it kiddo" Clarisse said and Chris nodded, "demigods luck is never that good" He added, returning to looking downright miserable.

**Leo fiddled with the bronze Archimedes sphere that he'd installed on the console-his newest and most dangerous toy. Every time Hazel looked at the thing, her mouth went dry. She worried that Leo would turn the wrong combinationon the sphere and accidentally eject them all from the deck, or blow up the ship, or turn the _Argo II_ into a giant toaster. **

"Leo is too clever to do that" Christopher his brother defended him, looking proud that Leo was his brother - everyone nodded.

**Fortunately, they got lucky. The sphere grew a camera lens and projected a 3D image of the Apennine Mountains above the console. **  
** "I dunno." Leo examined the holograph. "I don't see any good passes to the north. But I like the idea better than backtracking south. I'm done with Rome." **  
** No one argued with that. Rome had not been a good experience. **

"Because they lost.. them" And the camp remained silent.

**"Whatever we so," Nico said, "we have to hurry. Every day that Annabeth and Percy are in Tartarus..." **

"Nico please... don't" Thalia whispered to herself while everyone felt sick inside - only now was it beginning to sink in fully - their friends were in Tartarus and their wasn't a damn thing they could do to help.

**He didn't need to finish. They had to hope Percy and Annabeth could survive long enough to find the Tartarus side of the Doors of Death.**

"They will"

"They're strong"

"Please just hold it together"

** Then, assuming the _Argo II_ could reach the House of Hades, they _might_ be able to open the doors on the mortal side, save their friends, and seal the entrance, stopping Gaea's forces from being reincarnated in the mortal world, over and over. **  
** Yes...nothing could go wrong with _that_ plan. **

"It could work... scrap that it HAS to" Hannah muttered, fearing for her sister.

**Nico scowled at the Italian countryside below them. Maybe we _should_ wake the others. The decision affects us all." **  
** "No," Hazel said. "We can find a solution." **  
** She wasn't sure why she felt strongly about it, but since leaving Rome, the crew had started to lose its cohesion. They'd been learning to work as a team. Then _bam_...their two most important members fell into Tartarus. **

**"**Percy and Annabeth are important to everyone - they are the strong ones" Katie spoke up and everyone nodded in agreement.

**Percy had been their backbone. **

**"**He has that effect on people" Chris told everyone, smiling lightly - Percy and he had become a lot closer since the war and he missed him ALOT.

**He'd given them confidence as they sailed across the Atlantic and into the Mediterranean. As for Annabeth-she'd been the de facto leader of the quest. She'd recovered the Athena Parthenos single-handedly. S**

**"**Woooooooooow" Travis and Connor said in unison and the Athena cabn smiled proudly with a hint of sadness.

"That's my Annabeth" Malcolm whispered, thinking that no body could hear him - everyone did.

**he was the smartest of the seven, the one with the answers. **

"Im not gonna argue there" Clarisse said and, once again, shocked everybody.

**If Hazel woke up the rest of the crew every time they had a problem, they'd just start arguing again, feeling more and more hopeless. **  
** She had to make Percy and Annabeth proud of her. She had to take the initiative. She couldn't believe her only role in this quest would be what Nico had warned her of-removing the obstacle waiting for them in the House of Hades. She pushed the thought aside.**

"Please don't make this quest harder"

**"We need some creative thinking," she said. "Another way to cross those mountains, or a way to hide ourselves from the _numina_"**  
**Nico sighed. "If I was on my own, I could shadow-travel. But that won't work for an entire ship. And honestly, I'm not sure I have the strength to even transport _myself_ anymore."**

"See everyone? Nico - he's the good guy - the one that, despite not being one of the seven, is ACTUALLY helping... we should all give him a chance" Some people nodded while others just shrugged, "Okay put it this way... he's Annabeth's and Percy's friend if that doesn't mean anything to you then I'm ashamed to be related to you lot" She said and people stared down at their laps.

**"I could maybe rig some kind of camouflage," Leo said, "like a smoke screen to hide us in the clouds." He didn't sound very enthusiastic. **  
** Hazel stared down at the rolling farmland, thinking about what lay beneath it-the realm of her father, lord of the Underworld. She'd only met Pluto once, and she hadn't realized who he was. **

"Some demigods don't even get that"

**She certainly had never expected help from him-not when she was alive the first time, not during her time as a spirit in the Underworld, not since Nico had brought her back to the world of the living. **

"Good on Nico for doing that" Katie said open mindedly - she was one of the few that would actually give Nico a chance.

**Her dad's servant Thanatos, god of death, had suggested that Pluto might be doing Hazel a favor by ignoring her. After all, she wasn't supposed to be alive. If Pluto took notice of her, he might have to return her to the land of the dead. **

"And the dad of the year award goes to..." Connor said sarcastically and a few laughed, even Thalia smiled.

**Which meant calling on Pluto would be a very bad idea. **

"No duh"

**And yet... **  
**_Please, Dad,_ she found herself praying. _I_ have _to find a way to your temple in Greece-the House of Hades. If you're down there, show me what to do._ **  
** At the edge of the horizon, a flicker of movement caught her eye-something small and beige racing across the fields at incredible speed, leaving a vapor trail like a plane's. **

"Oh Hades please don't be bad" Christopher from the Hephaestus cabin muttered, holding his breath while the others looked on, wide eyed.

**Hazel couldn't believe it. She didn't dare hope, but it _had_ to be..."Arion." **

"Oh she knows it" Will concluded and many people sent him 'duh' looks.

**"What?" Nico asked. **

"My thoughts exactly bro-man" Connor said in bewilderment.

**Leo let out a happy whoop as the dust cloud got closer. **  
** "It's her horse, man! You missed that whole part. We haven't seen him since Kansas!" **

"A horse that goes that fast? that's handy"

**Hazel laughed-the first time she'd laughed in days. It felt so good to see her old friend. **  
** About a mile to the north, the small beige dot circled a hill and stopped at the summit. He was difficult to make out, but when the horse reared and whinnied, the sound carried all the way to the _Argo II_. Hazel had no doubt-it was Arion. **  
** "We have to meet him," she said. "He's here to help." **  
** "Yeah, okay." Leo scratched his head. "But, uh, we talked about not landing the ship on the ground anymore, remember? You know, with Gaea wanting to destroy us, and all." **  
** "Just get me close, and I'll use the rope ladder." Hazel's heart was pounding. "I think Arion wants to tell me something."**

"Ooooh dramatic" Travis said and scolded himself after - not too many jokes darnit, it was still a fragile time. Chiron held out his shaky hand, offering the book to anyone who would take it.

"Who wants to read next? time is running low" And Connor gently took it from his hands, looking just a tad nervous.

"I'll read" And jut like that he began the next chapter.

So... I really hope you enjoyed it I spent ages typing it all out - your thoughts would mean the world to me, seriously, every review is like sunshine! love you all :) enough reviews = fast chapter! :)


	2. Chapter 2 - HAZEL

Disclaimer: Percy Jackson does not belong to me! thank you so much for all those alerts/favs/reviews - it means a lot that people are enjoying it - normally I wouldn't update the day after but I was in a happy mood and the chapter is short so... enjoy! :)

**HAZEL **Connor read, taking a deep calming breath - he really, really hoped this chapter wouldn't be as bad as the last.

**The storm swallowed the hill in a swirling cone of black vapour. **

**"**Oh yeah... this chapter is off to a _great_ start" Travis said, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

**Arion charged straight into it. Hazel found herself at the summit, but it felt like a different dimension. The world lost its colour. The walls of the storm encircled the hill in a murky black. The sky churned grey. **

**"**I have a feeling that most of the book is going to be like this" Katie sighed - normally she was very happy but this book was really putting a dampener on her mood.

"Tell me about it" Thalia sighed, "Y'know... I just wish that we found out about... t-tartarus and everything before this" She stuttered and many people nodded.

"Communication is down and using cell phones were out of the question - too much demigod interference, many it was best we didn't know because it could've distracted us" Chiron told them all wisely.

"Maybe but they're our friends" Argued Malcolm, who was still upset over Annabeth as tears glistened in his eyes.

"There's no time to dwell on the past - we must continue before we lose more time" Chiron purposed and Connor continued to read.

**The crumbling ruins were bleached so white that they almost glowed. Even Arion had turned from a caramel brown to a dark shade of ash.**

**"**That's definitely not healthy" Clovis stated, his head drooping and his eyelids fluttering. Many campers rolled their eyes and sent him 'duh' looks. Was that guy actually serious? When they realised he was, in fact, completely serious they just shook their heads in exasperation.

**In the eye of the tempest, the air was still. Hazel's skin tingled coolly, as if she'd been rubbed with alcohol. **

"Now that, my friend, seems like a good prank" Travis grinned at his brother who smirked back in triumph.

"Oh Hades no" Nyssa sighed and many people got terrified looks in their eyes - they had no idea who would get pranked next.

"We shall plan this later dear brother" Connor laughed before turning his attention back to the book.

**In front of her, an arched gateway led through the mossy walls into some sort of enclosure.**

"Archway reminds me of those Harry Potter books" Will smirked but many people just frowned in confusion - who was Harry Potter?

**Hazel couldn't see much through the gloom, but she felt a presense within, as if she were a chunk of iron close to a large magnet. **

Connor and Travis smirked at each other again - so many ideas for pranks it was unbelievable.

**It's pull was irresistible, dragging her forward. Yet she hesitated. She reined Arion, and he clopped impatiently, the ground crackling under his hooves. Wherever he stepped, the grass, dirt and stones turned white like frost. Hazel remembered the Hubbard Glacier in Alaska - how the surface had cracked under their feet. **

"Then the girl's lucky to be alive" Thalia shivered, imagining the height in which the fall would be if the glacier did collapse.

"Percy probably saved them" Chris spoke up, remembering from the previous paragraph how Hazel had mentioned about Percy being there for her on their quest to Alaska. Everyone smiled proudly yet sadly - they still felt pain thinking about Percy and Annabeth but they were beginning to deal with it yet tears prickled behind their eyes.

**She remembered the floor of that horrible cavern in Rome crumbling to dust, plunging Percy and Annabeth into Tartarus.**

Thalia sucked in a deep breath and turned to Chiron, hoping he could mutter some soothing words to calm everyone down but he didn't - he just looked broken.

"Like I said - they'll make it out of there" Clarisse replied confidently, believing for the best.

**She hoped this Black-and-white hilltop wouldn't dissolve under her, but she decided it was best to keep moving. **

Good idea Hazel" Hannah, Athena cabin, murmured, trying to distract herself from thoughts of her sister, Annabeth.

**"Let's go then boy" Her voice sounded muffled, as if she were speaking into a pillow. Arion trotted through the stone archway. Ruined walls bordered a square courtyard about the size of a tennis court. Three other gateways, one in the middle of each wall, led North, east and west. **

The members of the Hecate cabin, Bruce, Catherine, savannah, mike, lily and Derek all glanced at one another... that sounded an awful lot like their mother but no... that was impossible, right?

**In the centre of the yard, two cobble-stone paths intersected, making a cross. Mist hung in the air - hazy shreds of white that coiled and undulated as if they were alive.**

"Creepy" Lacy shivered, folding her arms across her chest.

**Not mist, Hazel realised. _The mist._**

"Whoa she's actually seeing THE MIST, the ACTUAL MIST? wow..." Lou Ellen said in awe, eyes wide.

"Then we all must know who Hazel's meeting then" Commented Miranda Gardener and most of the campers nodded though other just had a vacant look on their face - who?

**All her life she'd heard about the mist - the supernatural veil that obscured the world of myth from the sight of mortals. It could deceive humans, even demigods, **

**"**That's true... Annabeth told me about the quest with her and Percy and Grover and they got lulled into thinking Medusa was just a harmful old lady" Thalia laughed before straightening her face and avoiding eye contact - thinking about them just made her feel like hell. People smiled at the story while others got sad.

"Medusa, as in THE MEDUSA?" little Harley screeched looking terrified and in slight awe.

"Well that's Percy and Annabeth for ya..." Clarisse spoke up before turning her attention back to Connor.

**into seeing monsters as harmless animals, or gods as regular people.**

"True" Said Hannah, speaking from experience.

**Hazel had never thought of it as actual smoke, but as she watched it curling around Arions' legs, floating through the broken arches of the ruined courtyard, the hairs stood up on her arms. Somehow she knew: this white stuff was pure magic.**

**"**Must feel pretty awful that, feeling how concentrated it is" Chris spoke up which made the whole of the Hecate cabin turn and glare at him threatening while he gulped nervously - he better be careful with what he says before they curse him or something.

**In the distance, a dog howled. Arion wasn't usually scared of anything, but he reared, huffing nervously.**

"That's like the billionth warning sign girl. take a hike" Travis commented and many rolled their eyes.

"If only everything was that simple" Pollux, Dionysus son, murmured unhappily.

**"It's okay" Hazel stroked his neck. "We're in this together. I'm going to get down, all right?"**

**She slid off Arion's back. Instantly he turned and ran.**

**"**That was nice of him" Clovis murmured sleepily, completely out of context before he slid of his seat and landed near the camp fire and his pants went up in flames - the capers would look back at this as a memorable experience.

**"Arion wai-" But he's already disappeared the way he'd come. **

**"**So much for being in this together" Phoebe sulked, feeling worried for this demigod.

**So much for being in the together.**

Everyone laughed.

** Another howl cut through the air - closer this time. Hazel stepped toward the centre of the courtyard. the mist clung to her like freezer fog.**

**"Hello?" She called.**

**"**OH MY GOD" Connor cut off his own reading to explain, "Number one rule - DO NOT SAY HELLO - that's what always happens in horror movies and two minutes later everyone dies" And the whole camp just stared at him.

"Sorry... i'll just..." He indicated back to the book.

**"Hello" A voice answered.**

"Creepy"

**The pale figure of a woman appeared at the northern gateway. No wait...she stood at the eastern entrance. No, the western. Three smoky images of the same woman moved in unison towards the centre of the ruins. Her form was blurred, made from mist, and she was trailed by two smaller wisps of smoke,** **darting at her heels like animals. Some sort of pets?**

**"**Oh... them" lily, daughter of Hecate sighed, she really HATED that weasel with a vengeance.

**She reached the centre of the courtyard and her three forms merged into one. She solidified into a young woman in a dark sleeveless gown. **

practically the whole of the Aphrodite cabin sighed lovingly at the idea of the dress, imagining themselves wearing it, improvements to make etc. Thalia just rolled her eyes in disgust - urghhhhhhh.

**Her golden hair was gathered into a high set ponytail, ancient Greek style. **

**"**Hey, at least we know she's Greek" Kayla smiled, looking so much like her dad Apollo it kinda freaked everyone out a little.

**Her dress was so silky it seemed to ripple, as if the cloth were ink spilling off her shoulders. She looked no more than twenty, but Hazel knew that meant nothing.**

"Yeah... the gods have a way of doing that - deceiving people" Savannah, Hecate's daughter, said moodily - she was not happy with her mom, not happy at all and this showed.

**"Hazel Levesque" Said the woman.**

**She was beautiful but deathly pale. Once, back in New Orleans, Hazel had been forced to attend a wake for a dead classmate. **

"Nico would love that" Drew sneered and Thalia cracked her knuckles in menace - she was fed up with that stupid Barbie. Many more people glared at Drew this time and Thalia gave a small hint of a smile - more people were warming up to him.

**She remembered the lifeless body of the young girl in the open casket. Her face had been made up prettily, as if she were resting, Which Hazel had fond terrifying.**

"How can a daughter of Pluto find that terrifying?" Questioned Mitchell from the Aphrodite cabin, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Just because she's a daughter of the god of the underworld it doesn't mean she takes after her father" Chiron replied calmly, nodding his head for Connor to continue to read.

**This woman reminded Hazel of that girl - except the woman's eyes were open and completely black. **

**"**DEMON" Shane screamed, eyes wide and the Hecate cabin rolled their eyes in annoyance.

**When she tilted her head, she seemed to break into three different people again... misty after-images blurring together, like a photograph of someone moving too fast to capture.**

"I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS" Screeched Butch passionately, forgetting where he was and many people raised their eyebrows. They didn't know he liked photography. Butch blushed and looked down in embarrassment.

**"Who are you?" Hazel's fingers twitched at the hilt of her sword, "I mean... which goddess?"**

"That's better"

**Hazel was sure of that much. This woman radiated power. Everything around them - the swirling mist, the monochromatic storm, the eerie glow of the ruins - was because of her presense.**

"yeah and that's /totally/ not going to scare her" Travis said, rolling his eyes good naturally.

**"Ah" The woman nodded "Let me give you some light"**

**"**NO HAZEL DON'T WALK INTO THE LIGHT" Connor and Travis screeched dramatically and in unison which made everyone jump - even Chiron neighed in protest. The boys fist bumped each other - wanting to lighten the mood.

**"She raised her hands. Suddenly she was holding two old fashioned reed torches, guttering with fire. The mist receded to the edges of the courtyard. At the woman's sandaled feet the two animals took on solid form. One was black a black Labrador retriever. The other was a long, grey furry rodent with a white mask around it's face. A weasel, maybe?**

**"**That damn weasel" Lily murmured, shaking her head.

**The woman smiled serenely.**

**"I am Hecate" She said, "Goddess of magic. we have much to discuss if you're going to live through tonight"**

Everyone's eyes got wide and they stared at eachother - whatever form of good mood people were in had vanished as the reality of the situation crashed down on them - this was a DANGEROUS quest. Before anyone could speak they heard the sound of footsteps and all turned around seeing someone with fiery red hair approaching - everyone smiled happily before Rachel's whole body began to glow green and she slumped forward, toward the ground.

Yay, chapter two is done! I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL ANNABETH'S CHAPTER - LOTS OF ANGST! ha! I hope y'all enjoyed it and please review - it means the world! next chapter out within the week! :)


	3. Chapter 3 - HAZEL

Disclaimer: Percy Jackson does not belong to me - wowzee... all you guys are amazing! thanks for all the support! :-)

Will caught Rachel under the arms and steadied her just as the green smoke encircled her, showing everyone that Rachel, right not, was not Rachel. Someone fetched a three legged stool and Will placed her gently on it, holding her upright.

"The shrine for the god of thieves,

will receive a note that will make them grieve" The freaky Rachel muttered before the green-like-mist abandoned her and her eyes were sluggish.

"I'm tired" She murmured and Will, being the ever caring son of the healing god, gently picked her up and laid her against a log near the fire, pulling off his hoody and making it into a makeshift pillow. When he looked up many people were muttering amongst themselves, wondering what that creepy prophecy, thing was.

"Any clues Chiron?" Thalia asked and Chiron trotted forward.

"My best guess would be its about this camp but Apollo's prophecies are ever cryptic so I'm afraid not" He said.

"How is Rachel?" Katie asked nervously.

"She'll be fine, just needs a little rest and warmth - these prophecies must be quite draining" And everybody, bar Drew, looked relieved at that.

"So... should we continue reading or...?" Travis asked, looking between the worried Chiron about the prophecy and the passed out Rachel.

"We should do more before it gets too late - we cant waste time" Clarisse said and everyone nodded and Connor passed the book to Travis. Everyone was still mulling over the 'prophecy' their hearts hammering against their chests. What would make them grieve? they didn't want to know!

**Hazel wanted to run, but her feet seemed to be stuck to the white glazed ground On either side of the crossroads, two dark metal torch-stands erupted from the dirt like plant stalks. Hecate fixed her torches in them, then walked in a slow circle around Hazel, regarding her as if they were partners in some eerie dance. **

"Ooooh baby let's dance" Connor sung, looping his arm through his brother's and spinning around. The whole camp laughed - and that was exactly what the brothers wanted... they wanted the campers to cheer up.

**The black dog and the weasel followed in her wake.**

**"**Damn weasel" A sharp voice said from the Hecate cabin and everyone chuckled.

**"You are like your mother" Hecate decided.**

"Bad start Mother" Savannah muttered, cringing slightly - it took a lot for people to trust them, the whole magic thing and all, and her mother was just making things worse.

**Hazel's throat constricted. "You knew her?"**

**"Of course. Marie was a fortune teller. she dealt in charms and curses and _gris-gris. _I am the goddess of magic"**

"Wow really... we didn't know" Connor said sarcastically making many people roll their eyes.

**Those pure black eyes seemed to pull at Hazel, as if trying to extract her soul.**

**"**I was right... demon" Shane whispered to Nyssa who only held him closer - no need to hack off the children of Hecate, that would end badly.

** During her first lifetime in new Orleans, Hazel had been tormented by the kids at St Agnes school because of her mother. **

**"**Some people can be awful" Lou Ellen said, mostly glaring at the children of Ares who just smirked back.

"Human nature I'm afraid child" Chiron said, knowing full well how absolutely nasty humans and gods alike could be.

**They'd called Marie Levesque a witch. The nuns had muttered that Hazel's mother was trading with the devil. If the nuns were scared of my mom, Hazel wondered, what would they make of this goddess?**

**"**Probably cower away in fear" Mike, son of Hecate, said knowingly making many people nod.

"It's true, most humans are very narrow minded" Phoebe said, fingering her bow and arrows for comfort.

**"Many fear me" Hecate said, as if reading her thoughts. "But magic is neither good nor evil. It is a tool, like a knife. Is a knife evil? Only if the wielder is evil"**

"That is actually quite wise" Malcolm said in awe and Derek, another son of Hecate just sneered at him.

"Yes, believe it or not, your _mother _isn't the only goddess with wisdom" And Malcolm turned and glared at him.

"I wasn't suggesting she was" He spat back, all his pent up anger over his sister and her boyfriend brimming to the surface.

**"My - My mother..." Hazel stammered. "She didn't believe in magic. Not really. She was just faking it, for the money." **

"Money's good" Connor chuckled, sharing an amused look with his brother.

**The weasel chittered and bared it's teeth. Then it made a squeaking sound from it's back end. **

Everyone, even Thalia who was very much under the weather, laughed out loud to the point where everyone was clutching their sides.

"Oh god... I needed that laugh" Katie coughed out, holding onto her sister for dear life. The only person wasn't laughing was Drew - she turned away in disgust and stuck up her nose making people laugh even more.

**Under other circumstances, a weasel passing gas might have been funny, but Hazel didn't laugh. The rodent's red eyes glared at her balefully, like tiny coals.**

**"**Ooooh evil weasel"

**"Please Gale" Said Hecate. She gave Hazel an apologetic shrug, "Gale does not like hearing about non believers and con artists. She herself was once a witch, you see"**

**"Your weasel was a witch?"**

**"She's a polecat, actually" Hecate said, "But yes - Gale was once a disagreeable human witch. She had terrible personal hygiene, plus extreme - ah, digestive issues" Hecate waved her hand in front of her nose. "It gave my other followers a bad name"**

The whole camp laughed and gagged at the same time - not sure whether to find it funny of disgusting.

"Oh this has made my day" Travis exclaimed, fist bumping his brother.

**"Okay" Hazel tried not to look at he weasel. She really didn't want to know about the rodent's intestinal problems.**

"We do" Connor and Travis said in unison as a joke, hoping to brighten people's spirits.

**"At any rate" Hecate said "I turned her into a polecat. she's much better as a polecat"**

**Hazel swallowed. She looked at the black dog, which was affectionately nuzzling the goddess's hand, "And your Labrador...?"**

**"Oh she's Hecuba, the former Queen of Troy" Hecate said, as if that should be obvious. The dog grunted.**

"Oh her" Chiron nodded, as if following the goddesses train of thought.

**"You're right Hecuba" The goddess said, "We don't have time for long introductions. The point is, Hazel Levesque, your mother may have claimed not to believe, but she had true magic. Eventually, she realized this. When she searched for a spell to summon the god Pluto, _I _helped her find it"**

**"**That's not going to go down well Mother" Mike sighed, wishing that, for once, his mom would just get on with everyone. His sister hugged him in understanding.

**"You...?"**

**"Yes" Hecate continued circling Hazel. "I saw potential in your mother. I see even _more _potential in you"**

**"**But no pressure or anything" Clarisse grumbled, rolling her eyes in aggravation.

**Hazel's head spun. She remembered her mother's confession just before she had died: how she'd summoned Pluto, how the god had fallen in love with her and how, because of her greedy wish, her daughter Hazel had been born with a curse. **

**"**A curse?" Malcolm questioned out loud, thinking it over, while everyone's eyes zeroed in on the Hephaestus cabin who looked just a tad nervous - they were cursed as well.

"Curses suck" Nyssa growled and hugged her younger brother, Shane, to her side.

**Hazel could summon riches from the earth, **

**"**Oh yes - our own personal metal detector" Will explained, sharing a meaningful glance with the Stoll brothers.

"This is going to be fun" Connor replied, running his hands together.

**but anyone who used them would suffer and die.**

**"**Oh Hades" Travis said disappointed and everyone rolled their eyes playfully.

"That's not fair" Will complained and Connor patted his back in sympathy.

**"Now this goddess was saying that _she _had made all that happen.**

**"My mother suffered because of that magic. my whole life-"**

**"Your life wouldn't have happened without me" Hecate said flatly "I have not time for your anger. Neither do you. Without my help, you will die" **

**"**Such a cheery goddess" Clovis stated, yawning, picking himself up of the ground but promptly falling back asleep again on Clarisse's shoulder who shoved him off in anger.

"I'm not your pillow" She growled and Clovis nodded his head quickly but passed out soon after.

**The black dog snarled. The polecat snapped its teeth and passed gas. **

Everyone chuckled at that.

**Hazel felt like her lungs were filling with hot sand.**

"Not good"

**"What kind of help?" She demanded.**

**Hecate raised her pale arms. the three gateways she'd come from - North, East and West - began to swirl with mist. **

"Oh no... the crossroads" Thalia sighed and everyone shared meek looks.

"This is bad"

The whole of the Hecate cabin looked down - their mother was either feared or disrespected and so were they.

"Yes it's bad but that's her job as a goddess" Hannah, daughter of Athena spoke up, noticing the looks on the Hecate cabin who smiled back in response.

**A flurry of black-and-white images glowed and flickered, like the old silent movies that were still playing in theatres when Hazel was small. **

"She is OLD" The Aphrodite cabin exclaimed and everyone else just shook their heads. No duh.

**In the Western doorway, Roman and Greek demigods in full armour fought one another on a hillside under a large pine tree. **

The mood turned sullen again and many people got fire in their eyes.

"Their going to attack us"

"Murderers"

"How dare they"

"We'll show them what happens when you mess with us you Romans"

"Let's give them a taste of their own medicine"

Was what was generally heard from the crowd of angry, Greek demigods. Chiron tried to calm everyone down but it was no use - they had survived the war with Kronos just to get attacked by some romans that seriously needed their heads screwed on? unbelievable.

"Would everybody SHUT UP" Clarisse demanded and everyone looked up at her.

"We knew this was a possibility which is why we're preparing for war - we are getting things organised and setting up barriers and defences so for the love of Hades... BE QUIET" She thundered, and despite her being mad, it calmed people down somewhat - it was true, they were ahead of scheldue.

**The grass was strewn with the wounded and the dying. **

At this everyone cringed - in this vision they were all dying, even Clarisse looked down in shame.

"Damn Romans" A kid from the Ares cabin growled, looking furious.

**Hazel saw herself riding Arion, charging through the melee and shouting - trying to stop the violence.**

"I doubt that's going to work" Chris said sadly - he didn't want any more violence, period. Clarisse grabbed a hold of his hand.

**In the gateway to the east, Hazel saw the _Argo ll _plunging through the sky above the Apennines. Its rigging was in flames.**

"Oh no" Lacy covered her mouth with her hands, as did most people.

** A boulder smashed into the quarterdeck. Another punched through the hull. The ship burst like a rotten pumpkin, and then the engine exploded.**

"NO" Was the general cry heard from the camp, especially the people close to those on board.

"Everything will be fine, everything will be fine I know it" Thalia mumbled under her breath, sending a prayer to any gods that were listening.

**The images in the Northern doorway were even worse. Hazel saw Leo, unconscious - or dead - falling through the clouds. **

Nyssa screwed her eyes shut - she had grown fond of Leo over the months and the thought of anything happening to him would tear her apart.

**She saw Frank staggering alone down a dark tunnel, clutching his arm, his shirt soaked in blood. **

Everyone gasped.

**And Hazel saw a herself in a vast cavern filled with strands of light like a luminous web.**

"Magic" Rachel whispered and everyone turned to look at her - she was waking up now looking a little worse for wear.

"Rachel, my dear, how are you feeling?" Chiron trotted forward and placed a caring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine, now but... I had a vision of P-Percy and A-Annabeth" She stuttered and everyone gasped.

"What was it?" Thalia demanded, coming and sitting beside Rachel.

"I hope it changes because... Percy, he..." Rachel screwed her eyes shut and a few tears leaked from her eyelids, "He pushed Annabeth toward the doors and... and... stayed in T-Tartarus" She said and everyone fell silent.

"No" Katie murmured, hugging her sister and everyone got chills down their backs. They hoped against hope it wasn't true, that it was a lie but... deep in their hearts, they knew it was plausible - Percy loved Annabeth more than anything and he would stay in Tartarus, for her.

"It will change, it HAS to" Malcolm broke the silence and everyone turned their teary faces toward him.

"We should pray that it does" Chiron said emotionally and everyone bowed their heads - they couldn't lose Percy, definitely not after everything. Travis continued in a monotone voice, trying to not break down.

** She was struggling to break through while, in the distance, Percy and Annabeth lay sprawled and unmoving at the foot of two black and silver doors.**

**"**Oh my gods" Was the general cry from the crowd of campers.

"No, please" The younger campers sobbed but Thalia put on a brave face.

"It means theymake it through Tartarus though right? I mean... they find the doors?" She asked hopefully and Chiron shrugged.

"The future is easy to change Thalia, you of all people should know that" And everyone became sullen again.

**"Choices" Said Hecate "You stand at the crossroads, Hazel Levesque. And I am the goddess of crossroads"**

**The ground rumbled at Hazel's feet. She looked down and saw the glint of silver coins... thousands of old Roman denarii breaking the surface all around her, as if the entire hilltop was coming to a boil. She'd been so agitated by the visions in the doorways that she must have summoned ever bit of silver in the surrounding countryside.**

Everybody was too upset to even say anything.

**"The past is close to the surface in this place" Hecate said. "In ancient times, two great Roman roads met here. New was exchanged. Markets were held. Friends met, and enemies fought. Entire armies had to choose a direction. Crossroads are always places of decision.**

"Then I damn well hate the crossroads" Chris exclaimed angrily and everyone agreed with him.

**"Like... like Janus" Hazel remembered the shrine of Janus on Temple Hill back at Camp Jupiter. **

"Oh him" Thalia said, sniffing away her tears, "Annabeth -" She faltered but carried on after a determined sigh, "She told me about him - right menace"

**Demigods would go there to make decisions. They would flip a coin, heads or tails, and hope the two faced god would guide the well. Hazel had always hated that place. She'd never understood why her friends were so willing to let a god take away their responsibility for choosing. After all Hazel had been through, she trusted the wisdom of the gods as much as she trusted a new orleans slot machine.**

A few dry chuckles echoed throughout camp, but not very many.

**The Goddess of magic made a disgruntled hiss. "Janus and his doorways. He would have you believe that all choices are black and white, yes and no, in or out. In fact, it's not that simple. Whenever you reach the crossroads, there are always at least three ways to go... four, if you count going backwards. You are at such a crossing now, Hazel"**

Yeah... four ways that ALL end in disaster" Clarisse swore angrily. She just wanted her 'friends' to be god, she was turning soft, she thought, shaking her head.

**Hazel looked again at each swirling gateway: A demigod war, the destruction of the Argo ll, disaster for herself and her friends, "All the choices are bad."**

"'Bad' is putting it mildly" Katie said.

**"All choices have risks" The goddess corrected. "But what is your goal?"**

"Oh I dunno... maybe... to defeat Gaia" Will said strongly with a hint of sarcasm in his voice - he was fed up with only listening and not being able to help at all.

**"My goal?" Hazel waved helplessly at the doorways. "None of these"**

**The dog Hecuba snarled. Gale the polecat skittered around the Goddess' feet, farting and gnashing her teeth.**

No one laughed and only a few smiled at this.

**"You could go backwards" Hecate suggested, "Retrace your steps to Rome... but Gaia's forces are expecting that. None of you will survive"**

"Cheery thought"

**"So...What are you saying?"**

**Hecate stepped to the nearest torch. She scooped a handful of fire and sculpted the flames until she was holding a miniature map of Italy.**

"Like Leo" Nyssa commented, tilting her head, "Those two would get on like a house of fire" She said sarcastically, "Pardon my pun" And, even though everyone was sad they smiled - they just had to believe everyone would be okay, they had to, no point moping about it all.

**"You could go West" Hecate let her finger drift away from her fiery map. "Go back to America with your prize, the Athena Parthenos. Your comrades back home, Greek and Roman, are on the brink of war. Leave now, and you might save many lives"**

Many people looked like that option appealed to them before shaking their heads - No, then Percy and Annabeth would be stuck in Tartarus - bad idea.

"Please don't choose that Hazel, we can handle ourselves" Rachel said confidently and everyone nodded - they had to get on with their own quest.

**"_Might"_ Hazel repeated. "But Gaia is supposed to wake in Greece. That's where the giants are gathering"**

**"True. Gaia has set the date of August first, the feast of Spes, goddess of hope, for her rise to power. By waking on the day of hope, she intends to destroy all hope forever. Even if you reached Greece by then, could you stop her? I do not know" Hecate traced her finger along the tops of the fiery Apennines. "You could go east, across the mountains, but Gaia will do anything to stop you from crossing Italy. She has raised her mountain gods against you."**

"Kinda guessed that already" Travis interrupted his own reading and he got some halfway smiles.

**"We noticed" Hazel said.**

"You think like her" His brother sang until he got hit over the head - repeatedly.

**"Any attempt to cross the Apennines will mean destruction of your ship. Ironically this might be the safest option for your crew. I foresee that all of you would survive the explosion. **

"That's good and everything but don't do that, the quest would end" James, an older Hermes cabin guy spoke up and Thalia glanced at him.

"I don't think she will - she wants Percy and Annabeth to make a jail break just as much as we do" She said and people chuckled - jail break, ah, who knew Thalia had a sense of humour?

**I****t is possible, though unlikely, that you could still reach Epirus and close the doors of death. You might find Gaia and prevent her rise. But by then both Demigod camps would be destroyed. **

"Not good WHAT-SO-EVAAAAAAA"

**You would have no home to return to" Hecate smiled "More likely, the destruction of your ship would strand you in the mountains. It would mean the end of your quest, but it would spare you and your friends much pain and suffering in the days to come. The war with the giants would have to be won without you"**

_**Won or lost without us.**_

**A small guilty part of Hazel found that appealing. **

"Just proves she's human... which is a good thing" Rachel smirked, being the only 'full human' there.

**She'd been wishing for the chance to be a normal girl. She didn't want any more pain and suffering for herself and her friends. they'd already been through so much.**

"That's too true child" Chiron said, the sadness weighing heavily on his chest.

**She looked behind Hecate at the middle gateway. She saw Percy and Annabeth sprawled helplessly before those black and silver doors. **

Everyone shuddered and many looked down in sadness.

"Those-those are the Doors of Death" Butch said in amazement as if only coming to that realisation, "I mean... they get to the doors of death... that's just-" He stumbled over his words.

"Amazing? awe-inspiring? unlikely?" Connor asked, "Or maybe all of the above - I mean, those guys are just out of this world" He exclaimed, and suddenly, everyone started clapping for their friends - they needed to show a little hope after all.

**A massive, dark shape, vaguely humanoid, now loomed over them, it's foot raised as if to crush Percy.**

"Well it better bleeding not or else it will have to face me" Clarisse growled just as Thalia said "If it does Tartarus will seem like a playground" They both looked at each other in shock.

**"What about them?" Hazel asked, her voice ragged. "Percy and Annabeth?"**

**Hecate shrugged. "West, east or south... they die"**

"Definitely not going to happen" A young Apollo cabin member piped up, "Right?" He asked uncertainty.

"From what we've heard about Hazel she is loyal and trustworthy... she's not going to let them die" Chiron reassured and everyone took in a deep breath.

**"Not an option" Hazel said.**

Everyone smiled - Hazel was a good friend.

**"Then you have only one path, though it's the most dangerous"**

"Of course it is" Thalia sighed.

**"Hecate's finger crossed her miniature Apennines, leaving a glowing white line in red flames. "There is a secret pass here in the north, a place where I hold sway, where Hannibal **

**"**Hannibal?" Connor asked, interrupting his brother, "You mean that guy that eats people?" He asked in shock and Pollux rolled his eyes and looked toward Malcolm who had his mouth gaping open.

"No you idiot" Malcolm screeched, sounding relatively like a girl which made people smile, "You really should brush up on your history because, let me tell you-" Travis cut Malcolm off with a smile.

**once crossed when he marched against Rome."**

**"**Oh... that guy, of course" Connor said, smiling nervously when in reality, he had no idea who the heck the book was taking about.

**The goddess made a wide loop... to the top of Italy, then east to the sea, then down along the western coast of Greece. "Once through the pass, you would travel north to Bologna and then to Venice. From there, sail the Adriatic to your goal, here: Epirus in Greece"**

"That's too far out of the way" people complained but shut up at Thalia's look.

"If it saves Percy and Annabeth then it's worth it"

**Hazel didn't know much about geography. She had no idea what the Adriatic sea was like. She'd never heard of Bologna, and all she knew about Venice was vague stories about canals and gondolas. But one things was obvious. "That's so far out of the way"**

**"Which is why Gaia will not expect you to take this route" Hecate said. "I can obscure your progress somewhat, but the success of your journey will depend on you, Hazel Levesque. you must learn to use the mist"**

Hecate's children gasped in shock - their mother was going to help this girl use _the mist? _No frigging way.

"That's not fair" Savannah moaned, "Why can't mother help us"

"Wow, bitter much" Drew injected, turning up her nose and many people snorted - Drew was the bitter one.

"I'm not bitter" Savannah muttered back angrily and before a fight could break out, Katie held up her hands.

"Girls, shut up, and anyway Hecate is only helping because we are in the MIDDLE OF A WAR, okay? so maybe you can hold back on parent-child therapy until after yeah?" She demanded and everyone could see her emotions brimming to the surface. Many people were shocked - a part from exploding at the Stoll's she usually kept her temper under control.

**"Me?" Hazel's heart felt like it was tumbling down her rib cage. "Use the mist how?"**

**Hecate extinguished her map of Italy. She flicked her hand at the black dog Hecuba. Mist collected around the Labrador until she was completely hidden in a cocoon of white. The fog cleared with an audible poof! where the dog had stood was a disgruntled-looking black kitten with golden eyes.**

**"Mew" It complained.**

**"**Same"

**"I am the goddess of the Mist" Hecate explained, "I am responsible for keeping the veil that separates the world of the gods from the world of mortals. My children learn to use the mist to their advantage, to create illusions or influence the mind of mortals. **

A lot of campers glanced nervously at the Hecate cabin - it was true, they could do or change anything and they wouldn't have a clue.

"Oh don't look at us like that we're not monsters, we're your family" Derek shot back and some people nodded in understanding.

"Yeah... sorry mate" Pollux replied, feeling ashamed about ever doubting them.

**Other demigods can do this as well. And so must you, Hazel, if you are to help your friends"**

**"But..." Hazel looked at the cat. She knew it was actually Hecuba, the black Labrador, but she couldn't convince herself. The cat seemed so real. "I can't do that"**

"Anything is possible" Rachel said wisely.

**"Your mother had the talent" Hecate said "You have even more. The child of Pluto who has returned from the dead, you understand the veil between worlds better than most. You can control the mist. If you do not... well, your brother Nico has already warned you. The spirits have whispered to him, told him your future. When you reach the House of Hades, you will meet a formidable enemy. She cannot be overcome by strength or sword. You alone can defeat her, and you will require magic"**

"Oh goody, another challenge" Will sung sarcastically and people grinded their teeth - was this quest ever going to be in the slightest bit easy?

**Hazel's legs felt wobbly. She remembered Nico's grim expression, his fingers digging into her arm. _You can't tell the others, not yet. Their courage is already stretched to the limit._**

"That's true but still.. they should still know" Clarisse said, knowing that keeping secrets when going into battle was never a good thing - it could end in disaster and Clarisse knew that better than most, thinking about her poor friend Silena. Chris wrapped an arm around her in support.

**"Who?" Hazel croaked "Who is this enemy?"**

**"I will not speak her name" Hecate said. **

"Of course because that would be too simple"

**"That would alert her to your presence before you are ready to face her. Go North Hazel. As you travel, practice summoning the mist. When you arrive in Bologna, seek out the two dwarfs. **

And just like that everyone laughed, excluding Drew and that broke the tension. Two dwarfs? seriously?

**They will lead you to a treasure that may help you survive in the House of Hades"**

**"I don't understand"**

**"Mew" The kitten complained.**

"Like I said... same"

**"Yes, yes Hecuba" The goddess flicked her hand again and the cat disappeared. the Black Labrador was back in its place.**

**"**Awwww"

**"You _will _understand, Hazel" The goddess promised. "From time to time, I will send Gale to check on your progress" The polecat hissed, its beady red eyes full of malice.**

"And Hazel must feel so much safer with that" Connor replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Who would want a smelly thing following them about?" Lacy questioned, screwing up her nose ever so slightly.

**"Wonderful" Hazel muttered.**

"See?"

**"Before you reach Epirus, you must be prepared" Hecate said "If you succeed, the perhaps we will meet again... for the final battle" A final battle, Hazel thought. Oh joy.**

"Hecate really knows how to make people feel warm and fuzzy inside eh?" Ian, a son of Apollo said sarcastically, shaking his head.

**Hazel wondered if she could prevent the revelations she saw in the mist**

"We hope you do Hazel" Thalia said out loud and no one pointed it out to her (they were too scared) that she was talking to a book.

** - Leo falling through the sky; Frank stumbling through the dark, alone and gravely wounded; Percy and Annabeth at the mercy of a dark giant. **

Que the shudder.

**She hated the gods' riddles and their unclear advice. She was starting to despise crossroads.**

"We all feel the same way then" Phoebe spoke up - alerting everyone to the fact the hunters of Artemis were still there and, unlike before, looked interested in the book.

**"Why are you helping me?" Hazel demanded. "At Camp Jupiter, they said you sided with the Titans in the last war"**

The Hecate cabin's eyes got darker, like they were daring anyone to say anything- no one did. It was in the past.

**Hecate's dark eyes glinted. "Because I _am __a Titan_ - daughter of Perses and Asteria. Long before the Olympians came to power, I ruled the mist. Despite this, in the first Titan war, millennia ago, I sided with Zeus against Kronos. I was not blind to Kronos's cruelty. I hoped Zeus would prove to be a better king" She gave a small bitter laugh. "When Demeter lost her daughter Persephone, kidnapped by your father, I guided Demeter through the darkest night with my torches, helping her search. And when the giants rose the first time I again sided with the gods. I fought my arch enemy Clytius, made by Gaia to absorb and defeat all my magic"**

**"Clytius" Hazel had never heard that name - Clai-tee-us - but saying it made his limbs feel heavy. She glanced at the images in the northern dorrway - the massive shape looming over Percy and Annabeth. "Is he the threat in the House of hades?"**

"Oh no, not him" Was the general sigh heard. He was one mean giant and if he was there with percy and Annabeth... no don't think like that.

**"Oh, he waits for you there" Hecate said, "But first you must defeat the witch. Unless you manage that..." She snapped her fingers, and all of the gateways turned dark. The mist dissolved, the images gone.**

**"**Creepy**"**

**"We all face choices" The goddess said "When Kronos arose the second time, I made a mistake. I supported him. I had grown tired of being ignored by the so-called _major _gods. Despite my years of faithful service, they mistrusted me, refused me a seat in their hall..." The polecat Gale chittered angrily.**

The Hecate cabin nodded and the rest of the campers looked ashamed.

"We're sorry about all that" Thalia apologised sincerely but Derek waved his hand.

"It wasn't your fault - your not responsible for your parents"

**"It does not matter any more" The goddess the sighed. "I have made peace with Olympus. Even now, when they are laid low - their Greek and Roman personas fighting each other - I will help them. Greek or Roman, I have always been always Hecate. I will assist you against the giants, if you prove yourself worthy. So now it is your choice, Hazel Levesque. Will you trust me... or will you shun me, as the Olympian gods have done too often?"**

**Blood roared in Hazel's ears. Could she trust this dark goddess, who'd given her mother the magic that ruined her life? sorry, no. She didn't much like Hecate's dog not her gassy polecat either.**

"You should Hazel" Malcolm said, not wanting anything to happen to his sister or her boyfriend.

**But she also knew she couldn't let Percy and Annabeth die.**

Lots of people exhaled happily - they would rescue Percy and Annabeth, they all knew it in their hearts.

**"I'll go north" She said. "We'll take your secret pass through the mountains"**

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

**Hecate nodded, the slightest hint of satisfaction in her face. **

**"**Smug much?"

**"You have chosen well, though the path will not be easy. Many monsters will rise against you. **

"Oh thats guaranteed" Chiron said and everyone looked down when realising, well, it was true - too true really.

**Even some of my own servants have sided with Gaia, hoping to destroy your mortal world" The goddess took her double torches from their stands, "Prepare yourself, daughter of Pluto. If you succeed against the witch, we will meet again"**

"Yeah but not under good circumstances I'm sure" Butch spoke up and everyone nodded.

"Like Hazel said... the final battle" Clarisse responded bluntly.

**"I'll succeed" Hazel promised "And Hecate? I'm not choosing one of your paths. I'm making my own"**

A sudden cheer sounded throughout camp - they really like this Hazel girl and prayed they would all get to meet. Her courage gave Camp Half Blood courage.

**The goddess arched her eyebrows. Her polecat writhed, and her dog snarled.**

"She doesn't like that idea very much" Shane whispered loudly and all Nyssa did was nod.

**"We're going to find a way to stop Gaia" Hazel said "We're going to rescue our friends from Tartarus. We're going to keep the crew and the ship together _and _we're going to stop Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-blood from going to war. We're going to do it all" The storm howled, the black walls of the funnel cloud swirling faster.**

"Oh yeah you go girl" Will said, clicking his fingers making everyone chuckle warmly.

**"Interesting" Hecate said, as if Hazel was an unexpected result in a science experiment, "That would be magic worth seeing" **

**"**Yes it would"

**A wave of darkness blotted out the world. When Hazel's sight returned, the storm, the goddess and her minions were gone. Hazel stood on the hillside in the morning sunlight, alone in the ruins except for Arion, who paced next to her, nickering impatiently.**

"Yay the horse came back" Lacy said cheerfully, glad that Hazel's friend had returned.

**"I agree" Hazel told the horse "Let's get out of here"**

"And not a moment too soon... quite literally" Rachel said mysteriously and everyone frowned. What?

**"What happened?" Leo asked as Hazel climbed aboard the argo ll.**

"Straight to the point" Nyssa chuckled, glad to hear about her brother again.

**Hazel's hands still shook from her talk from the goddess. She glanced over the rail and saw the dust of Arions wake stretching across the hills of Italy. She had hoped her friend would stay, but she couldn't blame him for wanting to get away from this pace as fast as possible.**

**The countryside sparkled as the summer sun hit the morning dew. On the hill, the old ruins stood white and silent - no sign of ancient paths, or goddesses, or farting weasels.**

**"**hhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaa farting weasels" Three guesses who that came from.

**"Hazel?" Nico asked.**

**Her knees buckled.**

"Ooooh not good" Rachel said, wincing, knowing what that was like - she did that merely a half an hour ago.

** Nico and Leo grabbed her arms and helped her to the steps of the foredeck She felt embarrassed, collapsing like some fairy-tale damsel, but her energy was gone. The memory of those glowing scenes at the crossroads filled her with dread.**

"I'm sure that would make anyone collapse" Thalia spoke up.

**"I met Hecate" She managed. She didn't tell them everything. She remembered what Nico had said: Their courage is already stretched to the limit. But she told them about the secret Northern pass through the mountains, and the de tour Hecate had described that could take them to Epirus. When she was done, Nico took her hand. His eyes were full of concern.**

A lot, ALOT, of campers looked shocked - they had never really seen Nico so tender and caring, it just proved he too, despite being a child of Hades, had feelings.

**"Hazel, you met Hecate at a crossroads. That's...that's something many demigods don't survive. And the ones that do survive are never the same. Are you sure you're-"**

**"I'm fine" She insisted. But she knew she wasn't. She remembered how bold and angry she'd felt, telling the goddess she'd find her own path and succeed at everything. Now her boast seemed ridiculous. Her courage had abandoned her.**

"It wasn't ridiculous and as long as you believe..." Phoebe said, encouraging everybody and what she said was, indeed, true.

**"What if Hecate is tricking us?" Leo asked, "The route could be a trap"**

**"**Good thinking" Nyssa praised, smiling.

**Hazel shook her head. "If it was a trap, I think Hecate would've made the northern route more tempting. Believe me, she didn't"**

**Leo pulled a calculator out of his toolbelt and punched in some numbers. "That's something like three hundred miles out of or way to get to Venice. Then we'd have to backtrack down the Adriatic, and you said something about baloney dwarfs"**

"Baloney dwarfs?" Connor and Travis were laughing the most of course.

**"Dwarfs in Bologna" Hazel said "I guess Bologna is a city. But why we have to find dwarfs there... I have no idea. Some sort of treasure to help us with the quest"**

**"Huh" Leo said. "I mean, I'm all about treasure but-"**

**"**Same, man, same" Connor chuckled.

**"It's out best option" Nico helped Hazel to her feet. "We have to make up for lost time, travel as fast as we can. Percy and Annabeth's lives might depend on it"**

You can count on Leo" Jake smiled, still wrapped up in some bandages from his, eh... accident, or rather, curse.

**"Fast?" Leo grinned "I can do fast"**

"Told ya"

**He hurried to the console and started flipping switches. Nico took Hazel's arm and guided her out of earshot. "What else did Hecate say? Anything about-"**

**"I can't" Hazel cut him off. The images she'd seen had almost overwhelmed her. Percy and Annabeth helpless at the feet of those black metal doors, the dark giant looming over them. Hazel herself trapped in a glowing maze of light, unable to help.**

**"**It must be awful knowing about all that and not knowing what to do" Thalia commented, looking sad again - many people sympathised with her.

_**You must defeat the witch **_**Hecate had said. _You alone can defeat her. Unless you manage that...the end _Hazel thought. All gateways closed. All hope exit xnguished. Nico had warned her. He'd communed with the dead, heard them whispering hints about their future. **

"Still find that creepy" Drew said snobbily and everyone rolled their eyes - they were SO done with her.

**Two children of the underworld would enter the House of Hades. They would face an impossible foe. Only one of them would make it to the Doors of Death.**

A sudden silence took a hold of the camp.

"If anyone of them die so help me god I will kill them" Thalia warned and Travis continued to read.

**Hazel couldn't meet her brother's eyes.**

**"I'll tell you later" She promised, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "Right now we should rest while we can. Tonight, we cross the Apennines"**

"Well, by any means, I hope it's hazel who survives... that Niki kid is far too weird" Drew commented and then all hell broke loose.

Yay another chapter! I promise you guys I am updating as fast as I can go cause I have to type out the book and everything. Next chapter within a couple of days! please, please, please reviews - your thoughts are very encouraging! :-)


	4. Chapter 4 - ANNABETH

**Disclaimer: **Percy Jackson or any other characters to not belong to me (sniff) anyone thanks to EVERYONE for all your support. You're all FABULOUS! :)

Fights had broken out at Camp Half-blood before but this? This was one fight Rachel could tell would end badly. Everyone's emotions were all over the place, and quite rightly so, and that could clearly be seen on their faces. Thalia growled, a sound Rachel had never heard before, and pounced on Drew, sending them both flying to the ground.

"Don't you dare SPEAK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT" She thundered, her whole body cackling with electricity.

"Get off me YOU WITCH" Drew snarled back, pulling Thalia's hair and pushing her off. Rachel watched, unable to do anything as Malcolm and the Athena cabin ran forward and grabbed a hold of both girls, keeping them apart while the Demeter cabin wrapped long grasses around their feet.

"DON'T TOUCH ME" Thalia screamed at the top of her lungs and a bright bolt of lightning zapped the earth around them and many people fell to the ground in shock, their clothes smoking. Malcolm, being the one to grab a hold of Thalia went flying backwards, landing in the middle of the Hephaestus cabin who all fell on top one another. Thalia looked around sheepishly, sending apologetic looks to those around her but glared at Drew. Drew glared back.

"That's another dress you've ruined" Drew screamed hysterically, cringing at the mud that caked her dress.

"Our friends are on a quest that they might never return from and you're WORRIED ABOUT YOUR DRESS?" Thalia questioned angrily, looking like she was about to strike again when Phoebe ran forward and lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, not flinching when she got stung with electricity.

"EVERYBODY STOP THIS RIGHT NOW" A loud, demanding voice shouted above the chaos. Everyone turned around and saw Chiron, his normal soothing brown eyes not alight with anger and distress.

"This is absolutely ridiculous, and shameful" He said more quietly, "Now I understand you're all grieving, I am too, but this has gotten out of hand" He told them all and everyone looked down in shame, "Everyone go to bed, NOW, and if everyone is calm in the morning we'll pick it up from there" He said, preparing to trot away but Rachel picked up the fallen book and let out a gasp.

"Chiron, no, we can't" She said desperately, tears in her eyes. Chiron sent her a hard, questioning look. "We can't because-because the next chapter is A-Annabeth's point of view" She stuttered, trying to not look down at the words on the pages. Everyone let out a gasp in unison ad Thalia, forgetting her anger at Drew, raced forward and plucked the book from Rachel's hand.

"I need to read this" She whispered, her voice full of emotion and Rachel could see Chiron resolve crumbling - he wanted to hear about this too. But before any more words could be spoken a sudden figure materialised in the middle of camp, his face daunt and tired yet slightly hopeful.

"Lord Poseidon" Chiron muttered, bowing down slightly as did everyone else.

"The next chapter is about my son?" He asked, his sea green eyes bright.

"Yes uncle" Thalia replied, sitting down and everyone else followed her lead - they NEEDED to hear this. Poseidon gulped nervously and wrung his hands together, sitting amongst the demigods awkwardly. Everyone could immediately see how much Percy resembled his father, as also they could see how worried Poseidon was about his son. Drew sulkily sat down, away from everyone else, even her cabin and turned her head away.

"Where are the other Olympians?" Rachel asked, sitting beside Thalia in case she needed the moral support.

"They will be joining us shortly bus Zeus has ordered them to stay on Olympus, at least for the time being, but I coudnt have that - I need to know about my son" And everyone fell silent - feeling nervous and sick to the stomach.

**Annabeth **Thalia read in a shaky voice, both desperate yet afraid to hear about this. She didn't want to hear of her friends pain. The whole camp was quiet, eerily quiet, tilting forward so they could hear every word Thalia was going to say.

**Nine days **And at that everyone's eyes grew wide? nine days? THEY WERE FALLING FOR NINE DAYS?

"It doesn't take nine days" Poseidon said in a sad voice, "But it will certainly take a few... the fall-" He cut himself off and looked down at the ground.

**As she fell, Annabeth thought about Hesiod, the old Greek poet who'd speculated it would take nine days to fall from earth to Tartarus. **

At that word everyone cringed - their friends were actually there and that made them feel sick inside.

**She hoped Hesiod was wrong. **

"Us too" Katie whispered, leaning on her sister.

**She'd lost track of how long she and Percy **

As soon as Thalia said Percy's name Poseidon perked up, his big doe eyes turning to the book. "Son" He murmured and everyone looked sad, even smug-faced Drew was frowning - it just showed how much Poseidon really did care for Percy.

**had been falling - hours? days? It felt like an eternity. **

"I would imagine so" Chris muttered, screwing his eyes shut - that felt like what it was like down in the labyrinth. Clarisse took a hold of his hand again and he opened his eyes - he wasn't there anymore, he was here with her, and that was all that mattered.

**They'd been holding hands ever since they'd dropped into the chasm. **

At that, the whole camp gave a small sad smile - those two really were made for each other.

"I'm glad they're together" Poseidon said, smiling - he may not like her mother but Annabeth was different, he could see that now.

**Now, Percy pulled her close, hugging her tight as they tumbled through absol****ute darkness.**

The Aphrodite cabin put a hand on their hearts, they're eyes gleaming.

"It must be awful... falling l-like that" Travis said and most people were shocked - the Stoll's were hardly ever unhappy, eve in the war they tried to put smiles on people's faces, but now they looked just as heartbroken as everyone else - obviously excluding Drew.

**Wind whistled in Annabeth's ears. **

"Is there wind in T-Tartarus?" Rachel asked, completely confused.

"No wind but the speed they're going through the air makes it feel like it" Poseidon answered, distracted, as he leant forward, every emotion spilling across his face.

**The air grew hotter and damper, as if they were plummeting into the throat of a massive dragon. **

Que the cringe - everyone would have nightmares about this.

"I really don't want to hear this" Shane murmured, burying his head into Nyssa's shoulder. She just hugged him back - no one really wanted to hear this.

**Her recently broken ankle throbbed, though she couldn't tell if it was still wrapped in spiderwebs.**

**"**Spider webs?" Malcolm hissed, eyes full of tears, "If it's Arachne..." He let the threat hang in the air and everyone could tell he was serious - he looked absolutely devastated, as did the whole of the Athena cabin.

**That cursed monster Arachne. **

The Athena cabin cringed and looked slightly terrified but then Malcolm growled and they seemed to forget their fear and the anger returned, each one of their grey eyes smouldering with anger.

**Despite having been trapped in her own webbing, smashed by a car and plunged into Tartarus, the spider lady had got her revenge. **

"I hope she dies a painful death" Thalia spat, her jaw moving with anger.

"I second that lightning girl" Clarisse replied, cracking her knuckles threateningly.

**Somehow her silk had entangled Annabeth's leg and dragged her over the side of the pit, with Percy in tow.**

Out of no where the lake next to the camp stated bubbling and crashing against the shores and everyone jumped in shock. Poseidon was shaking with grief and anger, his usual soft sea green eyes alight with a darkness no one had seen before.

"I'm going to make sure that monster suffers for what she did" He growled and everyone looked away in fear - it sort of reminded them of Percy when he got angry and that was something NO-ONE wanted to see.

**Annabeth couldn't imagine that Arachne was still alive, somewhere below them in the darkness. **

"She's probably still alive though, right?" Will asked, knowing that Tartarus was like a mating ground for them monsters.

"Most probably" Chiron replied gravelly and many people looked nervous again.

**She didn't want to meet that monster again when they reached the bottom. On the bright side, assuming there _was _a bottom. **

You could cut the tension with a knife it was that bad. Thalia's eyes prickled with tears and Clarisse put on a brave face.

"Come on princess, quit the negative thinking" She growled, her voice full of worry.

**Annabeth and Percy would probably be flattened on impact, **

Cringe.

**so giant spiders were the least of their worries.**

"And yet she still uses sarcasm" Connor commented, completely in awe.

**She wrapped her arms around Percy and tried not to sob. **

Many people at camp had already done that - sob! Their faces were tear streaked and blotchy.

"At least they have eachother" Lacy said, clinging to her brother, Mitchell, for dear life.

**She'd never expected her life to be easy. Most demigods died young at the hands of terrible monsters. **

"That is too true" Chiron said sadly - he had seen too many young demigods fall at the hands of monsters, far too many.

**That was the way it had been since ancient times. The Greeks had _invented _tragedy. **

A dry chuckle echoed though out camp, even Poseidon smirked - it was true.

**They knew the greatest heroes didn't get happy endings.**

**Still, this wasn't _fair. _She'd gone through so much to retrieve the statue of Athena. **

"Athena will be proud of her" Poseidon commented and the whole of the Athena cabin nodded - they were so so so proud of their sister.

**Just when she'd succeeded, when things were looking up and she'd reunited with Percy, **

"Yeah, after eight months - that's all Hera's fault" Thalia interrupted her own reading, said bitterly.

"And I have had words with her about that" Poseidon said, eyes darkening again, "Let's just say after I was done with her, she was as pale as hades" And everyone's jaws got slack. wow-zeeeee, go Poseidon, they all thought.

**they had plunged to their deaths.**

"What did I say about negativity?" Clarisse demanded, her emotions brimming to the surface.

** Even the gods couldn't devise a fate so twisted. But Gaia wasn't like other gods. The earth mother was older, more vicious, more bloodthirsty. **

"Grandmother certainly is" Poseidon said in a hard voice, and Rachel furrowed her eyebrows.

"But didn't you, like, have children together?" She asked and gulped when Poseidon glared and rolled his eyes. Thalia kicked her, shaking her head urgently, and carried on reading before Poseidon would blast Rachel into a sea horse of something.

**Annabeth could imagine her laughing as they fell into the depths.**

"Probably is"

**Annabeth pressed her lips to Percy's ear. "I love you"**

"Awwwwwww" Everyone muttered, both in happiness and sadness. Chiron smiled, nodding his head, the hunters of Artemis looked a little sickened bar Phoebe and Thalia who were grinning, the Stoll's fake gagged, Clarisse just stared at Chris and the Aphrodite cabin's faces were gleaming with happiness.

"They're made for each other" Nyssa said.

**She wasn't sure he could hear her **

**"**He probably did"

**- but if they were going to die she wanted those to be her last words.**

**"**You're NOT GOING TO DIE" Was the general reaction from everybody.

**She tried desperately to think of a plan to save them. She was a daughter of Athena. She'd proven herself in the tunnels under Rome, beaten a whole series of challenges with only her wits. **

"Go Annie" Travis and Connor said and Thalia let a rare smirk fall across her face.

"I'll tell her you said that" - safe to say their faces went chalk white.

**But she couldn't think of any way to reverse, or even slow, their fall.**

**Neither of them had the power to fly - not like Jason, who could control the wind, or Frank, who could turn into a winged animal. **

"Wow... shapeshifting" The Apollo cabin and the Hermes cabin murmured in fascination.

**If they reached the bottom at terminal velocity... well, she knew enough science to know it would be _terminal._**

_"_Gotta give it to the girl... she sure has a morbid sense of humour" Pollux stated, shrugging.

**She was seriously wondering whether they could fashion a parachute out of their shirts - that's how desperate she was - when something about their surroundings changed. **

"Oh no" Katie said just as Thalia said "Yes" - they both looked at each other in shock.

"They haven't thought of anything to catch their fall" Katie said horrified and Thalia looked ashen faced - "I just though it would be better out of the air, so they can find the doors and high tail out of there"

Now that both girls had said that everyone cringed - both options were just as bad as each other.

**The darkness took on a grey-red tinge. She realised she could see Percy's hair as she hugged him. **

"Awww"

**The whistling in her ears turned into more of a roar. **

"Ow"

**The air became intolerably hot, permeated with a smell like rotten eggs.**

**"**Okay, ewww" Drew said, crossing her legs. Thalia had to restrain herself, physically, to stop from punching that stupid, stuck up mare.

**Suddenly, the chute they'd been falling through opened into a vast cavern. Maybe half a mile below them, Annabeth could see the bottom. **

"Please Annabeth, think of something" Hannah, her sister murmured tearfully.

**For a moment she was too stunned to think properly. the entire island of Manhattan could have fit inside this cavern **

"Oh my gods" Everyone muttered in unison, bar Poseidon who looked sick - he vaguely knew what Tartarus was like and he never EVER wanted to return there - he just wished his son wasn't there now.

**- and she couldn't even see it's full extent. Red clouds hung in the air like vaporised blood. The Landscape - at least what she could see of it - was rocky, black plains, punctuated by jagged mountains and fiery chasms. To Annabeth's left, the ground dropped away in a series of cliffs, like colossal steps leading deeper into the abyss. **

"Oh no" Katie said, hugging her torso. The younger campers cringed and looked down in fear, looking towards the older ones for comfort. Everyone's hope abandoned them - could Percy and Annabeth really make it through that?

**The stench of sulphur made it hard to concentrate, but she focused on the ground directly below them and saw a ribbon of glittering black liquid - _a river._**

_"_Oh no" Poseidon muttered quietly so no one could hear him.

**"Percy" She yelled in his ear. "Water!"**

The "NO" from Poseidon made everyone jump and look nervous.

"Not the water Percy, please, it's bad for you" He said, looking absolutely heartbroken.

**She gestured frantically. Percy's face was hard to read in the dim red light. He looked shell shocked and terrified, but nodded as if he understood.**

A few smiled at Percy's courage yet they were still nervous about the whole 'water' thing - nothing could happen to Percy, nothing.

**Percy could control water - assuming that was water below them. He might be able to cushion their fall somehow. **

"Hopefully" Everyone crossed their fingers.

**Of course, Annabeth had heard horrible stories about the rivers of the underworld. **

**"**Who hasn't?"

**They could take away your memories, or burn your body and soul to ashes. **

"Oh please don't be one of those rivers" Rachel prayed and everyone nodded.

**But she decided not to think about that. **

**"**But she just did" Travis pointed out, confused.

**This was their only chance.**

**The river hurtled towards them. At the last second, Percy yelled defiantly. The water erupted in a massive geyser and swallowed them whole.**

The whole camp had wide eyes and Poseidon looked down in sadness - the rivers weren't good for his son they could kill him. It was now very late at night, the stars sparkling in the sky, but no one was tired - they were too wound up from all their emotions.

"Quick, read the next chapter" Poseidon demanded, just as a bright white light fell from the sky.

I am on a roll! ha! Again thanks for all your support and please keep reviewing - it means quicker updates! love you all! x :) :)


	5. Chapter 5 - ANNABETH

**Disclaimer**:** pjo or any of the characters do not belong to me! also, I know it took a few days to come out but im in my last year of school and unfortunately that means helping out with things! ayway, sorry again, and on with the story! :-)**

Grover landed in a heap on Clarisse, both of them falling roughly to the ground.

**"**Get. Off. ME" Clarisse growled menacingly, pushing the satyr off, scrunching her face up in anger, "Why does everyone land on me?" She demanded, but was cut off by Thalia who screeched "Grover" - racing forward and tackling her friend in a hug.

"What's going on? who do I have to kill? I have my pipes" he warned, waving his pipes threateningly, and Thalia smirked.

"Calm down goat boy - you're safe here" She reassured, smiling for the first time in ages.

"Why am I here?" He questioned, and at that Thalia was stumped - that was a good question, it wasn't everyday a goat boy crash-landed from the sky.

"Because I sent him here" A strong voice said and everyone turned around and saw Athena, dressed in Greek robes, looking surprisingly old and tired. She sent a small smile to her children who looked on, flabbergasted. "Who better to have at a reading that the best friend?" And Poseidon stood up, smothering his annoyance at her with a tight greeting smile.

"Owl" He greeted tightly and Athena turned up her nose, "Fish" And that was their greetings - everyone shared an uneasy look. Two Olympian gods that hated each other within five feet of one another... yeah not a great start.

"Reading? I hate reading" He grumbled, but soon broke out into a smile, "So did Percy, ha, he absolutely HATED IT" He laughed but no one joined in and that was when Grover frowned.

"What?"

When no one said anything, even Poseidon and Athena were sullen, Rachel ushered Grover to sit next to him

"Grover... I'm sorry but, long story short, Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus and the other five... well six including Nico di Angelo, are trying to find the Doors of Death and we're reading about it, thanks to some unknown 'higher power'" She got out in one breath and immediately Grover's face fell and tears welled in his eyes.

"Tartarus?" He stuttered, before letting out a howl and throwing his head in his hands "Oh no" He sobbed as Rachel rubbed his back soothingly.

"But... they'll be fine, it's Percy and Annabeth, okay goat-boy? Thalia said, trying to mask her sadness with hope. Grover sniffed, rubbing his eyes - he nodded not saying anything and everyone could see how absolutely devastated he looked. Percy was his best friend and he was his protector, it must feel awful.

"May I read?" Athena asked, jutting out her hand, "I would like to know about my daughter"

"Of course, book worm wants to read" Poseidon grumbled, shaking his head and Athena sent him a glare.

"I would like to see you try fish face" And before a full, Olympian fight could break out, Rachel handed Athena the book with a small smile and that seemed to calm her down somewhat. She sat next to her children, deliberately ignoring Poseidon and took a deep breath.

**Annabeth **She read, looking sad at the mention of her daughters' name - so did everyone else, especially Grover whose lips were still quivering.

**The impact didn't kill her, **

"Oh thank gods" Malcolm sighed - he had been nervous ever since the end of the last chapter, his heart racing.

**but the cold nearly did. **

"Oh no" Was the general reaction and Poseidon gritted his teeth - he knew what those rivers did to those born from the sea and he shuddered. If anything happened to his son he would personally bring Gaia to her knee's, he thought fiercely.

**Freezing water shocked the air right out of her lungs. **

"But Percy's there... surely he could do something" Nyssa spoke out loud, mulling things over.

"The rivers down there are bad... I'll be surprised if he even survives submersion" Poseidon sighed, glancing at the ground - maybe it was a bad idea to hear about this, he thought. Athena's eyes softened ever so slightly as she glanced away - Percy would give up his own life to save her daughter, maybe his father wasn't so bad.

"WHAT?" Grover bleated and many people had stunned and worried looks plastered on their faces.

"Can we please just read and put me out of my misery" Poseidon pleaded, looking awfully sad and everyone had to glance away - they could tell that Poseidon thought this was the end of his son and they just prayed Percy would pull through - he HAD to.

**Her limbs turned rigid, and she lost her grip on Percy. **

"Okay, this can't be happening, it just can't" Thalia said, shaking her head, "It can't" She added for emphasis but Rachel grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.

"I'm sorry" Was all she said and Thalia looked away, eyes brimming with tears.

**She began to sink. Strange wailing sounds filled her ears - millions of heartbroken voices, as if the river were made of distilled sadness. **

"The cocytus river" Athena whispered furiously and Poseidon dipped his head making the lake crash against the sand more violently than before.

"That's bad" Clovis stated tiredly, head drooping and everyone glared at him.

**The voices were worse than the cold. They weighed her down and made her numb.**

_**What's the point of struggling? **_**They told her. ****_You're dead anyway. you'll never leave this place._**

_"_Shut up" many people screamed in unison.

"It's not true - they'll get out of there" Will said confidently, trying to raise people's moods.

**She could sink to the bottom and drown, let the river carry her body away. That would be easier. She could just close her eyes...**

"Please don't Annabeth" Athena begged, her weaknesses showing.

"Annabeth's strong mom, trust me" Her daughter said and Athena nodded in thanks.

**Percy gripped her hand and jolted her back to reality. **

Poseidon smiled in joy "Percy's alive" He told them and then frowned - he was still in Tartarus.

**She couldn't see him in the murky water, but suddenly she didn't want to die. **

"Thank Hades" Grover bleated nervously, chewing on a metal plate, ripping it apart with his teeth "This book isn't good for my blood pressure"

**Together they kicked upward and broke the surface. Annabeth gasped, grateful for the air, no matter how sulphurous. **

"It sounds poisonous" Mike, the child of Hecate said in worry.

"Tartarus is a place designed to kill" Athena said grimly, gripping the large book tighter.

**The water swirled around them, and she realised Percy was creating a whirlpool to buoy them up.**

"Go Percy" Travis and Connor cheered, beaming in excitement, trying to inject some positive thoughts - it partially worked.

Poseidon gave a small smile and the waves calmed down somewhat.

**Though she couldn't make out their surroundings, she knew this was a river. River had shores.**

"Oh yes they can get to land" Rachel sighed, wiping her forehead.

**"Land" She croaked, "Go sideways"**

**Percy looked near dead with exhaustion.**

However relieved or happy Poseidon was had gone - he was now frowning, tears glistening in his sea green eyes.

"Oh son" He sighed, running a tired hand down his face.

Thalia clenched her fists in anger - why did everything have to happen to them? why? it wasn't fair!

** Usually water reinvigorated him, but not this water. **

"It's like an infection, it sucks on his life voice" Athena interrupted her own reading and Poseidon sent her a glare that sent chills down everyone's spine.

"Don't. You. Dare" He growled and Athena had enough wisdom to look ashamed.

**Controlling it must have taken every bit of his strength. **

Athena gave a small smile of gratitude - she may not like the sea spawn but without him her daughter would be dead, she had to praise the boy.

"Like-like the hurricane in the last war" Grover stuttered and Thalia nodded in understanding and those who had seen it sighed sadly - they saw what that did to him and it wasn't pretty. In fact many people wished they could forget it.

**The whirlpool began to dissipate. Annabeth hooked one arm around his waist and struggled across the current. **

Despite the situation the whole of the Aphrodite cabin 'awww'd' dramatically, bar Drew.

"They're so cute" One squealed.

"Made for each other" Another daughter piped up, swooning.

"Soul-mates" And, despite the anger being directed at the cabin, a few of the campers smiled - even Clarisse. They were made for eachtother.

"I think they should be named 'Percabeth'" Lacy decided, nodding her head "Percy and Annabeth forever" And Athena screwed up her nose - they had a name for them now? Poseidon nodded, lost in his thoughts while Travis and Connor grinned wickedly.

"Just wait till they hear about this" And a few chuckled. Annabeth would either let them off with a warning or chop their arms off, probably the latter, they assumed.

**The river worked against her: thousands of weeping voices whispering in her ears, getting inside her brain.**

"Fight it Annabeth" Her sister, Hannah, encouraged, while many others prayed.

_**Life is despair **_**they said. _Everything is pointless, and then you die._**

Chris screwed his eyes shut - down in the Labyrinth, he heard similar things when he went crazy and this just brought all the memories back.

"Chris?" Clarisse questioned quietly, her usual hard eyes softening slightly which normally only happened with her boyfriend.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" He insisted, more to convince himself that anyone else.

**"Pointless" Percy murmured. **

"NO" People stated in anxious tones, and the whole mood completely changed. Everyone turned sullen - even Athena.

"Not Percy too" Grover moaned, holding his head in his hands.

"C'mon Prissy, don't let a stupid river do this to you" Clarisse growled, leaning forward in her seat.

**His teeth chattered from the cold. He stopped swimming and began to sink.**

Poseidon stood up abruptly, glaring at the book in anger.

"Uncle please" Athena said formally and everyone looked shocked, they were acting so formal, so unlike their previous interactions, "This is hard for me to read too but we must continue before our Roman counterparts take a hold again" She said calmly and Poseidon gazed out across the lake.

"He's my son and I can't protect him" He said glumly and Thalia, the least likely person, stood up.

"Uncle Poseidon I've known Percy for a long time and I know, if anyone can make it to the Doors of Death and kill a few monsters along the way it's him... and with Annabeth by his side they'll be unstoppable" She pointed out, looking around at the whole camp.

"Seriously though he defeated the minotaur before he even knew what it was, killed Medusa on his first quest, rescued the lightning bolt, saved Grover and me and Annabeth countless times, kicked Clarisse's butt, fought Ares..." She rambled and Grover stood up too.

"And he's defeated four titans, blew up a mountain, fought his way through the Labyrinth, killed Cronus and best of all, saved countless lives too" He bleated and everyone looked ten times more positive just being reminded of that.

"So trust us when we say" Thalia summed up, sitting back down beside Rachel, "Percy will be fine" And Poseidon nodded in thanks and the whole camp had their jaws slack.

"He fought dad?" A child of Ares demanded in anger and even Clarisse rolled her eyes: this was seriously not the time.

**"Percy!" She shrieked. "The river's messing with your mind. It's the Cocytus - the river of lamentation. It's made of pure misery!"**

**"Misery" He agreed.**

"Come on Perce" Travis and Connor urged, "You're not gonna let a _river _stop you are you?" Travis added lightly.

"Because seriously, a child of the sea god getting done in by a river? you'll be a laughing stock for everyone - even the monsters" Connor said, smiling slightly and a few released their tension by laughing - they really did need to cheer up.

**"Fight it!" She kicked and struggled, trying to keep both of them afloat. Another cosmic joke for Gaia to laugh at: _Annabeth dies trying to keep her boyfriend, the son of Poseidon, from drowning._**

"Can Gaia even make jokes?" Will asked lightly, shaking his head in thought.

"An old hag like that - I doubt it" Malcolm growled in anger at the sound of Gaia's name.

"I guess we've got competition brother" Connor smirked and even Poseidon chuckled - it was time to make a laughing stock out of Gaia.

**Not going to happen, you hag, Annabeth thought.**

"Family thinks alike" Thalia grinned and Malcolm blinked before smiling in genuine joy.

**She hugged Percy tighter and kissed him.**

"Awwww" Three guesses who that came from.

** "Tell me about New Rome" She demanded, "What were your plans for us?"**

"They had plans?" Lacy squeaked, clapping her hands.

**"New Rome...For us..."**

Poseidon grinned and even Clarisse had a small smile on her face - this was probably as light hearted as the book got so they had to soak it up.

**"Yeah, Seaweed Brain. You said we could have a future there! tell me!"**

A few people frowned and Chiron dipped his head so people couldn't see his sadness: over the years he knew demigods didn't get happy endings or even 'futures'.

**Annabeth had never wanted to leave Camp Half-Blood. It was the only real home she'd ever known. **

Smiles lit the faces of everyone: Camp Half-Blood was their home and a darn good one at that.

**But days ago, on the argo ll, Percy had told her that he'd imagined a future for the two of them among the Roman demigods. **

People frowned - "I don't mean to burst their bubble but the Romans hate you lot" Rachel pointed out, bluntly.

"Hopefully they won't if we can mend the rift" Chiron replied and the whole of the Ares cabin scoffed - "Fighting not love" They growled.

**In their city of New Rome, veterans of the legion could settle down safely, go to college, get married, even have kids.**

Travis, Connor, will and Chris all wiggled their eyebrows at the same time.

"Oh la la, Mr Jackson" They pretended to chastise and the whole camp, looked on amused. Even Athena looked like she was loosening up just slightly.

**"Architecture" Percy murmured. **

"Trust Percy to think of Annabeth when he's ah... not in exactly the best shape" She smiled and Lacy looked giddy.

"Percabeth all the way" She cheered.

**The fog started to clear from his eyes.. "Thought you'd like the houses, the parks. There's one street with all these cool fountains"**

**Annabeth started to make progress against the current. Her limbs felt like bags of wet sand, but Percy was helping her now. She could see the dark line of the shore about a stone's throw away.**

"Not far now" Poseidon said, but many people gathered he was talking to himself, reminding himself that there was still hope.

**"College?" She gasped, "Could we go there together?"**

"Of course Annabeth would want to go to college" Athena grinned, more colour returning to her face. People grinned.

**"Y-yeah" He agreed, a little more confidently.**

**"What would you study, Percy?"**

**"Dunno" He admitted.**

"Come on Perce, don't sound SO clueless" Travis grinned.

"Honestly kelp head" Thalia said fondly and Grover bleated in happiness.

**"Marine science?" She suggested, "Oceanography?"**

**"Surfing?" He asked,**

Literally the whole camp laughed whole heartedly, until tears were streaming down their cheeks and many people gripped their sides.

"HAHAHAHA PERCY MAN YOU ARE THE BEST" Will howled and Grover fell backwards off his seat because he was laughing so hard. Even Clarisse's eyes were bright and Chiron, who was very upset, smiled in genuine joy.

"Percy's unique" Rachel agreed through the laughs. It took a while for the whole camp to settle down - they hadn't laughed in so long it felt good to get it out.

**She laughed, and the sound sent a shock wave through the water. The wailing faded to background noise. **

"That's good, that's really good" Katie said confidently, grinning from ear to ear - things were definitely looking up.

**Annabeth wondered if anyone had ever laughed in Tartarus before - just a pure, simple laugh of pleasure. **

"I highly doubt it" Savannah said lightly.

"Yeah, no-one's crazy enough to do it" Thalia agreed.

**She doubted it.**

Smiles all around.

**She used the last of her strength to reach the riverbank. Her feet dug into the sandy bottom. She and Percy hauled themselves ashore, shivering and gasping, and collapsed on the dark sand.**

"Well that's that ordeal over" Poseidon said, though he didn't look happy at all. People's yes slid toward him and they frowned.

"What is it Lord Poseidon?"

Poseidon, not wanting to dampen people's moods, gave a tight smile, "Nothing just... paternal worry" Even though deep inside he was terrified - Tartarus was designed to hurt and kill, it wasn't going to be that easy all the time.

**Annabeth wanted to curl up next to Percy and go to sleep. She wanted to shut her eyes, hope all of this was just a bad dream and wake up to find herself back on the argo ll, safe with her friends (well... as safe as a demigod can ever be). **

"Poor Annabeth" Her cabin sighed, trying to remain as upbeat as possible.

**But, no. They were really in Tartarus. At their feet, the river Cocytus roared past, a flood of liquid wretchedness. **

"It sounds horrible" Shane muttered and the younger campers were all turning pale - maybe this wasn't good for them to hear.

**The sulphurous air stung Annabeth's lungs and prickled her skin.**

Everyone sucked in a breath - it was turning bad again, they just knew it.

** When she looked at her arms , she saw they were already covered with an angry rash. **

"Oh my gods"

"Holy Hades"

"Please no"

Poseidon just stared ahead grimly - He knew it wasn't over, just like he knew he would be a nervous wreck by the end of this reading - he was already turning grey.

**She tried to sit up and gasped in pain.**

Everyone leaned forwards in their seats - anxious and scared to hear more.

**The beach wasn't sand. They were sitting on a field of jagged black-glass chips, some of which were now embedded in Annabeth's palms.**

Everything was quiet as people absorbed what they had just heard.

"Poisonous" Athena said sadly, shaking her head in misery.

Thalia glared down at her feet - first Luke now Percy and Annabeth? The fates were cruel, too cruel.

**So the air was acid. **

"Check"

**The water was misery. **

"Check"

**The ground was broken glass. **

**"**Check" Travis finished, glaring straight ahead.

**Everything here was destined to hurt and kill. Annabeth took a rattling breath and wondered if the voices in the cocytus were right. **

"They most certainly were not" Athena interrupted, holding her head high while Chiron nodded - "Stay strong child"

**Maybe fighting for survival was pointless. They would be dead within the hour.**

"Stop thinking like that" Clarisse demanded and Chris grabbed her hand.

"Percy won't let her give up" Grover stuttered, looking nervous for his friends.

**Next to her, Percy coughed. "This place smells like my ex step-father"**

Again the whole mood lightened just ever so slightly.

"Ah trust Perce to make jokes" Connor grinned elfishly.

**Annabeth managed a weak smile. She'd never met smelly Gabe, but heard enough stories.**

"Trust me - you don't want to" Grover said darkly.

** She loved Percy for trying to lift her spirits.**

**If she'd fallen into Tartarus by herself, Annabeth thought, she would have been doomed. After all she'd been through beneath Rome, finding the Athena Parthenos, **

"The Athena cabin grinned proudly, even Athena herself.

**this was simply too much. She would've curled up and cried until she became another ghost, melting into the Cocytus.**

everyone SHIVERED.

**But she wasn't alone. She had Percy. And that meant she couldn't give up. She forced herself to take stock. Her foot was still wrapped in its makeshift cast of board and bubble wrap, still tangled in cobwebs. **

At the mention of her broken ankle and the cobwebs everyone grimaced and then growled menacingly.

"Damn Arachne"

**But when she moved it, it didn't hurt. The ambrosia she'd eaten in the tunnels under Rome must have finally mended her bones.**

"Thank all the gods for that then"

**Her backpack was gone - lost during the fall, or maybe washed away in the river. **

**"**That's not important - you're alive" Clarisse reminded Annabeth, well eh, the book.

**She hated losing Daedalus's laptop, with all its fantastic programs and data, **

Eye roll from Clarisse.

**but she had worse problems. Her celestial bronze knife was missing - the weapon she'd carried since she was seven years old.**

Thalia winced - she knew how much that knife meant to her and looked down sadly - Annabeth would be devastated.

**The realisation almost broke her, but she couldn't let herself dwell on it. Time to grieve later. **

"Exactly"

**what else did they have? No food, no water... basically no supplies at all.**

The mood turned sullen again for about the millionth time.

"Then how... how are they going to survive?" Katie asked nervously and Drew smirked.

"When one of them dies, the other will eat them" She replied snidely and everyone, everyone, had to force themselves to remain calm. Thalia crackled with energy.

"Shut. UP" Mitchell hissed, nudging her and all Drew did was turn away - well, they embarrassed her, made a laughing stock out of her, treated her like dirt, they should get a taste of their own medicine, she thought evilly.

**Yep. Off to a promising start.**

"Gotta love her sarcasticness"

**Annabeth glanced at Percy. He looked pretty bad. **

People looked up in worry, their anger at Drew forgotten.

**His dark hair was plastered across his forehead, his T-shirt ripped to shreds. His fingers were scraped raw from holding onto that ledge before they fell. **

That brought back bad memories for everyone, thinking about what they heard about the fall - it must have been hellish.

**Most worrisome of all, he was shivering and his lips were blue.**

"Come on son - not now" Poseidon prayed.

**"We should get moving or we'll get hypothermia" Annabeth said, "Can you stand?"**

**He nodded. They both struggled to their feet.**

**Annabeth put her arm around his waist, though she wasn't sure who was supporting whom. **

"They're both there for each other" Katie said and Athena gave a tight smile behind the book.

**She scanned their surroundings. Above, she saw no sign of the tunnel they'd fallen down. She couldn't even see the cavern roof - just blood coloured clouds floating in the hazy grey air.**

The younger campers shivered and even the older ones looked disturbed - they couldn't believe their friends were there.

** it was like staring through a thin mix of tomato soup and cement.**

**"**Oh yummy" Connor grinned, looking at his brother.

"This sounds like an awfully good prank" as he fist bumped his brother an everyone groaned nervously - oh Hades.

**The black-glass beach stretched inland about fifty yards, then dropped off the edge of the cliff. From where she stood, Annabeth couldn't see what was below, but the edge flickered with red light as if illuminated by huge fires.**

"They could get some warmth" Nyssa suggested and some people nodded.

"Maybe but how good are those fires down there?" Rachel asked, knowing that Tartarus wouldn't have comfortable demigod arrangements. Everyone grimaced. It was true.

**A distant memory tugged at her - something about Tartarus and fire. Before she could think too much about it, Percy inhaled sharply.**

**"Look" He pointed downstream.**

**A hundred feet away, a familiar-looking baby blue Italian car had crashed head first into the sand. It just looked like the Fiat that had smashed into Arachne and sent her plummeting into the pit.**

Everyone's eyes darkened.

"That car deserves to be in Tartarus then" Katie sniffed.

**Annabeth hoped she was wrong, but how many Italian sports cars could there be in Tartarus? **

"Thousands" Will replied sarcastically.

**Part of her didn't want to go anywhere near it, but she had to find out. **

"If that spider is still alive..." Malcolm left that threat hanging.

**She gripped Percy's hand and they stumbled towards the wreckage. One of the car's tyres had come off and was floating in a back-water eddy of Cocytus. **

A few chuckled while others believed the car had it coming.

**The Fiat's windows had shattered, sending brighter glass like frosting across the dark beach. Under the crushed hood lay the tattered, glistening remains of a giant silk cocoon - the trap that Annabeth had tricked Arachne into weaving. **

**"**IT'S EMPTY" Athena thundered, her arms shaking - Poseidon looked murderous as well.

**It was mistakenly empty. Slash marks in the sand made a trail downriver... as if something heavy with multiple legs, had scuttled into the darkness.**

The Athena cabin shuddered in fear and even the others looked quite disturbed by that thought.

**"She's alive" Annabeth was so horrified, so outraged by the unfairness of it all, she had to supress the urge to throw up.**

"Ew" Drew gagged, but everybody ignored her.

"Monster home court" Poseidon spat out, the lake beginning to boil.

**"It's Tartarus" Percy sais, "Monster home court. Down here, maybe they can't be killed"**

Poseidon smiled slightly and everyone was happy for him.

"Like father like son" Athena said but she sounded neutral... and not angry or disgusted.

**He gave Annabeth an embarrassed look, as if realising he wasn't helping team morale, **

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

**"Or maybe she's badly wounded, and she's crawled away to die"**

"Let's hope" Rachel chuckled, laughing at Percy.

**"Let's go with that" Annabeth agreed.**

**Percy was still shivering. **

"Not good"

**Annabeth wasn't feeling any warmer either, despite the hot, sticky air. The glass cuts on her hands were still bleeding, which was unusual for her. **

"Oh Hades... it's preventing them from healing" Thalia gasped and Grover chewed on an apple nervously. Oh dear Lord.

**Normally, she healed fast. Her breathing got more and more irregular.**

Everyone was now tense and scared, whatever humour there was had gone.

**"This place is killing us" She said, "I mean it's _literally _going to kill us, unless..."**

"Unless what" People screamed in desperation.

_**Tartarus. Fire. **_

"Oh Annabeth" Athena sighed, looking worried, the frown lines on her face coming back while most other people were clueless (bar the Athena cabin who looked scared out of their wits)

**That distant memory came into focus. She gazed inland toward the cliff, illuminated by the flames below.**

"Creepy"

**It was an absolutely crazy idea. **

**"**You're in Tartarus princess... shake it up a bit" Clarisse spoke up, even though she was still worried.

**But it might be their only chance.**

**"Unless what?" Percy prompted, "You've got a brilliant plan haven't you?"**

This sounded so much like the old Annabeth and Percy that people had to smile - Percy relying on Annabeth for plans.

**"It's a plan" Annabeth murmured, "I don't know about brilliant. We need to find the river of fire"**

**"**OH MY HADES" Katie screamed and people's jaws hung open.

"Well... that was certainly unexpected" Poseidon said in awe and a little bit of fear.

The river of fire? the river OF FIRE? THE RIVER OF FIRE?

Oh Hades...

YAY another chappie done! so yeah, please review and let me know what y'all thought - next update will be Saturday! :)


	6. Chapter 6 - ANNABETH

**Disclaimer: PJO or any of the characters do not belong to me! thanks for all your reviews - they're very inspiring! :-)**

"But there's no actual proof the River of Fire works" Lou Ellen protested, having read up on Tartarus just a few days prior.

"That's true but there's no other choice" Thalia responded, worry glistening in her deep blue orbs. Athena glanced up from the book, her eyes shiny from unshed tears.

"So fish... would you like to read?" She questioned quietly, her hand held towards Poseidon supporting the book. Poseidon swallowed nervously, reaching out a shaky hand. He didn't know if he wanted to - hearing it was bad enough, but actually _reading _it? That was bound to be a hundred times worse.

"Just a few more chapter though, midnight has passed" Chiron alerted everyone and the campers looked down at their watches. One o'clock in the morning already? They were so engrossed in the book they didn't notice the night, or their tiredness, creeping up on them.

"But-"Malcolm protested, obvious worry showing.

"A few more chapters and then bed" Chiron insisted, firmly yet gently, "We will continue reading first thing. No arguments. People need their sleep in case of any unexpected attacks" He warned and Malcolm sighed and then nodded. It was true, they needed to be prepared.

"Will there be any fighting soon?" A son of Ares asked, fidgeting in his seat, "This book isn't violent enough" He moaned.

"I'll give you violent if you like" Thalia warned, her whole body cackling. Her friends were in Tartarus, suffering and possibly dying, and people were complaining it wasn't _violent enough?_ Grover was glaring too, fingering his reed pipes.

"Okay children settle down if you want to continue reading" Chiron spoke up and everybody turned deadly silent. They _needed _to know what happened, even Drew kept her mouth shut and in a tight line, showing her obvious disapproval.

"Lord Poseidon, please, if you will" Chiron said politely, indicating with his arm. Poseidon nodded, glancing down at the book which would surely be the reason he collapsed dead on the ground, he though with a dry chuckle.

**Annabeth **Poseidon read in a clear voice, though everyone could detect the small shake it held.

**When they reached the ledge, Annabeth was sure she's signed their death warrants.**

"I've gotta say, these chapters really start positively" Will said sarcastically, earning a small chuckle.

"It sets the scene" Connor whispered loudly, smirking at his friend.

**The cliff dropped more than eighty feet.**

"Holy Zeus" Thalia exclaimed, jiggling her legs, she HATED heights.

** At the bottom stretched a nightmarish **

"Is that even a word?" Connor questioned, "Because a daughter of Athena should always use proper grammar" He joked.

"Yes, read the dictionary, now can we please read?" Hannah responded and Poseidon carried on.

**version of the Grand Canyon: a river of fire cutting a path through a jagged obsidian crevasse, the glowing red current casting horrible shadows across the cliff faces.**

"Okay I really _hate _that place" Shane moaned, shivering and Nyssa was sure he would have nightmares about this, poor child.

**Even from the top of the canyon, the heat was intense. The chill of the River Cocytus hasn't left Annabeth's bones, but now her face felt raw and sunburnt.**

"It's burning them alive" Rachel whispered quietly to herself but of course everyone heard her and winced.

"Sorry" She apologised sheepishly, grimacing, when she noticed everyone's pain filled faces and Poseidon and Athena's frowns.

** Every breath took more effort, as if her chest were filled with Styrofoam peanuts. **

"Yummy"

**The cuts on her hands bled more rather than less. **

"Just like a disease" Athena moaned, shifting into her Roman counterpart for a split second before turning back. Poseidon sent her a worried look and she replied through a look which clearly said '_not now' _and he let it go but he knew their Roman counterparts were going to catch up with them sooner or later - that was how it worked.

**Annabeth's ankle, which had almost healed, now seemed to be broken again. **

The Athena cabin looked at one another in sadness and Athena tried to send them comforting gazes.

"Just their luck" Chris said bitterly, clinging onto Clarisse's hand and everybody had to agree.

"The fates must really hate them" Travis said helpfully and Katie slapped him over the head.

**She'd taken off her makeshift cast, but now she regretted it. Each step made her wince.**

"Then maybe going to this river is not such a bad idea after all" Nyssa summarised, "I mean... if it stops the pain it's worth it right?"

"Yeah sure... if it doesn't kill them first" Clarisse said, anger brimming in her voice and the mood turned sullen - there was really no good way out of this.

**Assuming they could make it down to the fiery river, which she doubted, her plan seemed certifiably insane.**

"Insane plans are the best" Travis contradicted, grinning at his brother.

"Oh yeah... insane plans are actually the sanest" He replied and the Apollo cabin smirked, remembering how, on occasion, their two cabins would unite and perform the most 'out of this world' pranks and idea's that would make Hermes grin enthusiastically.

"The sanest? Insane plans are not the sanest and they usually get you killed" Thalia smirked and Chris chuckled.

"All of Percy's plans are _completely _insane yet he's still standing so HA" He exclaimed with a grin and Thalia rolled her eyes playfully - that was true, too true actually.

**"Uh..." Percy examined the cliff. **

"No need to sound _so _clueless kelphead" Thalia smirked, earning a chuckle from everyone, even Poseidon.

"He's clueless about half the time" Rachel responded playfully.

**He pointed to a tiny fissure running diagonally from the edge to the bottom. "We can try that ledge there. Might be able to climb down"**

"Notice how he said 'might'" Will pointed out, "Oh he sure is the beacon of optimism"

**He didn't say they'd be crazy to try. **

"Probably because that was already too obvious" Savannah pointed out with a small smile.

**He managed to sound hopeful. Annabeth was grateful for that, but she was also worried that she was leading him to his doom.**

"She already did that remember? It's her fault their in Tartarus in the first place" Drew said snobbily and the whole camp glared at her furiously.

"Why you little..." Athena cursed threatening, standing up, grey eyes ablaze but Poseidon beat her to the punch. With a simple flick of his hand, Drew, perfect hair and make-up girl, daughter of Aphrodite and charmspeaker, went _poof. _Quite literally. In her place was now a bunch of Kelp that Poseidon willed to float over to the lake.

"Maybe that will keep her quiet" He growled, eyes angry as... well, it reminded them of Percy.

"Thank-you" Athena murmured, sitting back down and composing herself, straightening out her robes. The whole camp just stared at Poseidon, wide-eyed, though smiles soon worked there way on their faces.

"What?" Poseidon defended with a smirk, "She looks so much better as Kelp anyway" With a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes - even the Aphrodite cabin didn't protest but a wide, full grin was plastered on Lacy's face.

**Of course, if they stayed here they would die anyway. **

"Like I said... _so _positive"

**Blisters had started to form on their arms from exposure to the Tartarus air. **

"Oh no" Lacy moaned, very obviously, and the campers leaned forwards towards the book in anxiety.

**The whole environment was about as healthy as a nuclear blast zone.**

Everyone chuckled.

"Hey, at least her sense of humour hasn't abandoned her" Travis grinned as though this had made his whole day.

**Percy went first. **

**"**Always the gentleman" A daughter of Aphrodite said, nodding her head as if agreeing with what Percy had done. Poseidon hid a smile and a grimace - he was glad his son was so polite but also very worried that he would fall... _Again!_

**The ledge was barely wide enough to allow a toehole. **

"They've had practise here" Chiron commented, nodding toward the direction of the lave climbing wall, "Hopefully that training will aid them"

**Their hands clawed for any crack in the glassy rock. Every time Annabeth put pressure on her bad foot, she wanted to yelp. **

"Oh... I forgot about her ankle" Grover said miserably, chewing on one of Thalia's arrows nervously. "This is not good, not good, not good..." He moaned to himself, rocking back and forth.

**She'd ripped off the sleeves of her T-shirt and used the cloth to wrap her bloody palms, **

Will nodded in affirmation, "That's right. Cover up the wound, stop infection" He mumbled to himself, nodding, his healing knowledge kicking in.

People smirked at him.

**but her fingers were still slippery and weak.**

"Come on Princess, focus" Clarisse urged, eyes bright with worry.

**A few steps below her, Percy grunted as he reached another handhold." So... what is this fire river called?"**

"He's making conversation? He's making conversation climbing down an eighty foot cliff?" Phoebe demanded, "Okay scratch that... he's making conversation skirting down a death-trap cliff when, at any moment, he could plummet to his death?" She exclaimed and everyone shrugged - that was Percy.

"Hey... what can I say, he's a kelphead" Thalia smirked - they all knew Percy well enough that that was just _him _and they loved him for it.

**"The phlegethon" She said, "You should concentrate on going down"**

**"**Yeah, listen to Annie Perce" Connor grinned.

**"The _p__hlegethon?" _He shinned along the edge. **

"Shinned? seriously? What kind of word is that?" A Hermes cabin exclaimed, furrowing his eyebrows.

"A word that you're vocabulary doesn't extend to" An Athena camper replied and Rachel smirked.

"Ooooh burn" She muttered under her breath.

**They'd made it roughly the third of the way down the cliff - still high enough up to die if they fell. "Sounds like a marathon for hawking spitballs"**

Everybody laughed and even Poseidon let out a deep, rumbling chuckle and everyone could see his mood lifting ever so slightly.

**"Please don't make me laugh" She said.**

**"Just trying to keep things light"**

"And that's what we love about him" Pollux murmured, smiling at the memories - Percy was always so very funny.

Everyone agreed instantly.

**"Thanks" She grunted, nearly missing the ledge with her bad foot. "I'll have a smile on my face as I plummet to my death"**

"Ah death humour, I like" The Stoll's exclaimed and the whole of the Hermes cabin nodded in approval.

**They kept going, one step at a time. Annabeth's eyes stung with sweat. Her arms trembled. But, to her amazement, they finally made it to the bottom of the cliff.**

Everyone let out a breath they knew they were holding.

"Phew" Grover bleated, his hooves dancing nervously.

**When she reached the ground, she stumbled. Percy caught her. **

**"**Awwww" The Aphrodite cabin murmured, and Lacy squealed.

"See? They're _made _for each other" She told everyone and Athena couldn't deny it any longer - the truth was staring at her right in the face, Percy loved her daughter and her daughter loved him - she could accept that.

**She was alarmed by how feverish his skin felt. **

Poseidon's voice wobbled ever so slightly and Grover gasped.

"But-but-but... why can't I feel _any _of this?" He exclaimed, "Not that I w-want to" He stumbled, "But the empathy link" He clarified for those that were staring at him like he was off his rocker.

"Foggy connection - and anyway, Tartarus is like a completely different realm, the empathy link cannot sustain that much interference" Athena explained and Grover relaxed slightly at that - it meant his best friend wasn't dead... yet. He shuddered involuntarily.

**Red boils had erupted on his face, so he looked like a smallpox victim.**

"Oh Zeus" Thalia cursed in ancient Greek, multiple times, and Chiron glared at her. What language!

"Get to the river, get to the river, get to the river..." People chanted under their breaths.

** Her own vision was blurry. Her throat felt blistered, and her stomach was clenched tighter than a fist.**

A lot of people sucked in a breath, their worry returning full force.

**We have to hurry, she thought.**

"Yeah, that would be a good idea Princess" Clarisse grumbled.

**"Just to the river" She told Percy, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. "We can do this"**

"That's right, stay positive" Athena chanted, and no-one decided to tell her she was talking to a book - she would probably smite them.

The words began to tumble out of Poseidon's mouth as he raced on, desperately wanting to know what happens,

**They staggered over the slick glass ledges, around massive boulders, avoiding stalagmites that would've impaled them with any slip of the foot. **

"It's so dangerous" Butch exclaimed, furrowing his eyebrows, worry glistening in his eyes. Poseidon read on before anyone else could interrupt.

**Their tattered clothes steamed from the heat of the river, but they kept going until they crumpled to their knees at the bank of the phlegethon.**

"You are almost there daughter" Athena murmured, clasping her hands together.

**"We have to drink" Annabeth said.**

**Percy swayed, his eyes half closed. It took him three beats to respond. "Uh...drink fire?"**

Will let out a dry chuckle.

"God's... that does sound weird when you think about it" He commented, giving a small smile.

"Heh... there's something we have to get Leo to try" Travis told them and wide smiles were plastered on the faces of the Apollo and Hermes cabin.

Everybody else groaned.

**"The phlegethon flows from the Hades realm down into Tartarus" Annabeth could barely talk. Her throat was closing up from the heat and the acidic air. "The river is used to punish the wicked. But also... some legends call it the river of healing"**

The mood dampened.

"Some legends?" Grover squeaked nervously, practically biting his fingers off in anxiety.

"This isn't looking like such a great idea after all" Lou Ellen murmured but Thalia shook her head.

"No, it will work" She said with conviction, "Annabeth's hunches are nearly always right"

**"_Some _legends?"**

"Maybe this empathy link had effected you both in more ways than one" Rachel told Grover with a small smile, trying to lift his spirits.

"Oh gods... he thinks like kelp head" Thalia groaned good naturedly.

**Annabeth swallowed, trying to stay conscious. "The Phlegethon keeps the wicked in one piece so that they can endure the torments of the fields of punishment. **

"Well that was considerate of it" Travis said with a smirk.

**I think... it might be the underworld equivalent of ambrosia and nectar"**

_"You think?"_

**Percy winced as cinders sprayed from the river, curling around his face. "But it's fire. How can we-"**

Poseidon sighed - his son was hurting and there was nothing he could do to help him, he was too far away. When he glanced over at Athena he saw the same look he was wearing: they were both grieving, he reminded himself, he could put aside his fury at her because some things were more important than a petty feud over a stupid _olive tree _for crying out loud.

**"Like this" Annabeth thrust her hands into the river. **

A collective 'gasp' sounded! Did she actually just do that? HOLY HADES!

**Stupid? **

**"**Definitely" Nyssa said, wide eyes,

**Yes,**

"Glad you agree"

** but she was convinced they had no choice. If they waited any longer they would pass out and die. **

Que the shiver.

**Better to try something foolish and hoped it worked.**

"It's a better plan than most" Malcolm praised, biting his fingernails.

**On first contact the fire wasn't painful. **

"Because it's too hot to feel" Hannah murmured, the worry for her sister increasing every second.

"Just like me then" Travis muttered, trying to lift the mood - he _hated _being depressed.

**It felt cold, which probably meant it was so hot it was overloading Annabeth's nerves. **

"Owie"

**Before she could change her mind, she cupped the fiery liquid in her palms and raised it to her mouth.**

**"**Please work, please work, please work" People chanted, almost toppling off their seat because they were leaning forward that much.

**She expected a taste like gasoline. **

"Tried that before... horrible" A son of Ares muttered and Clarisse rolled her eyes - she was seriously surrounded by idiots.

**It was _so _much worse. Once, at a restaurant in San Francisco, she'd made the mistake of tasting a ghost chilli pepper that had come with a plate of Indian food. After barely nibbling it, she's thought her respiratory system was going to implode. Drinking from the Phlegethon was like gulping down a ghost chilli smoothie.**

"Pain equals gain" Was all Katie murmured, frowning at the ground, "Unfortunately" She added.

**Her sinuses filled with liquid flame.**

Everyone cringed - even the God's present.

** Her mouth felt like it was being deep-fried. **

**"**Like eating too many mints" Clovis stated sleepily though no one was paying attention to him - they were focused on the book.

**Her eyes shed boiling tears, and every pore on her face popped. She collapsed, gagging and retching, her whole body shaking violently.**

"Convulsions" Athena murmured sadly, shaking her head.

**"Annabeth" Percy grabbed her arms and just managed to stop her rolling into the river.**

"Thank god's for Percy" Rachel sighed, letting out a deep breath.

**The convulsions passed. **

"It's over!"

**She took a ragged breath and managed to sit up. She felt horribly weak and nauseous, but her next breath came more easily. **

"IT WORKED" People exclaimed - it was a small victory, but one none the less - they could definitely do this.

**The blisters on her arms were starting to fade.**

**"It worked" She croaked. "Percy, you've got to drink"**

"Yes, drink son"

**"I..." His eyes rolled up in his head, and he slumped against her.**

Poseidon's voice was dripping with worry and everyone listened intently, their eyes wide.

Come on Percy, not now!

"We're not losing you to some stupid underground cave, got it Prissy" Clarisse growled under her breath, clenching her fists.

**Desperately, she cupped more fire in her palm. Ignoring the pain, **

"Good going Annabeth"

**she dripped the liquid into Percy's mouth. He didn't respond.**

"More Annabeth" People urged desperately and Poseidon gripped the book tightly so it nearly tore in half.

**She tried again, pouring a whole handful down his throat. **

"That will hurt like Hades" Mike winced in sympathy.

**This time he spluttered and coughed. **

"Thank the gods" Thalia exclaimed, holding a hand to her heart as Grover fist-bumped the air - he wasn't going to lose his best friend.

**Annabeth held him as he trembled, the magical fire coursing through his system. His fever disappeared. His boils faded. He managed to sit up and smack his lips.**

**"Ugh" He said. "Spicy yet disgusting"**

Everyone let out relieved chuckles.

"He must be fine if he's using humour" Chiron nodded, a smile spreading across his features.

**Annabeth laughed weakly. She was so relieved she felt light-headed. "Yeah. That pretty much sums it up"**

**"You saved us"**

**"For now" She said. "The problem is we're still is Tartarus" **

"Yeah, just a _small _problem" Connor spoke up sarcastically, laughing weakly.

**Percy blinked. He looked around as if coming to terms with where they were.**

"A bit slow Kelphead" Thalia said teasingly, smiling, glad that both her friends were okay... well, alive anyway.

** "Holy Hera, **

"Don't let my_ dear _stepmother hear you say that" Thalia warned playfully but the sky rumbled and Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Okay, no need for the dramatics" And the younger campers just stared at her with wide eyes - was she being sassy to the queen of gods? Holy yes she was.

**I never thought... well, I'm not sure _what _I thought. **

"So... like usual then" Grover grinned happily.

**Maybe that Tartarus was empty space, a pit with no bottom. But this is a _real _place"**

**Annabeth recalled the landscape **

"Landscape doesn't seem like the right word" Savannah said, and everyone peered over at her, "I mean, landscape is like a pretty painting, and Tartarus... well, Tartarus isn't pretty" She summed up and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to go down there for a leisurely stroll" Will replied sarcastically.

**she'd seen while they fell - a series of plateaus leading ever downwards into the gloom.**

**"We haven't seen all of it" She warned. "This could just be the first tiny part of the abyss, like the front steps"**

"Such a nice welcome" Clarisse grumbled, secretly ecstatic that her Prissy and Princess were still functioning properly.

**"The welcome mat" Percy muttered.**

Clarisse glared at anyone that looked over at her, smirking.

"HA" Travis grinned, "You think like Perce" And a sword embedded itself six centimetres away from Travis' ear into the log behind him.

"I do NOT think like Prissy" And that was the end of _that _discussion.

**They both gazed up at the blood-coloured clouds swirling in the grey haze. No way would they have the strength to climb back up that cliff, **

**"**Doubt that they wanted too" Malcolm stated.

**even if they wanted to.**

And then smiled.

** Now there were only two choices: Downriver or upriver, skirting the banks of the Phlegethon.**

"As long as you stay close to the river daughter, it will guide you" Athena spoke calmly, looking much more in control now.

**"We'll find a way out" Percy said. "The Doors of Death"**

**Annabeth shuddered. She remembered what Percy had said just before they fell into Tartarus. He'd made Nico di Angelo **

Thalia glared at anyone who even shuddered of glared at the name: No one was going to diss him, not in front of her anyway unless they wanted to end up like barbeque.

**promise to lead the argo ll to Epirus, to the mortal sides of the Doors of Death.**

"An oath to keep with a final breath" Will muttered, looking as pale as a sheet, so unlike his usual self.

"You think-you think that's the oath?" Thalia stuttered nervously, even Chiron had worry glistening in his brown orbs.

"I don't know" He said and noticing everyone's fallen faces he added, "Probably not, just a thought y'know? That's probably too simple" He tried to take back his words but people were still completely horrified and Will gulped. Oops.

_**We'll see you there **_**Percy had said.**

"Yeah, like they're meeting at the movie's or something" Connor grinned, his mind still working over the words of the prophecy. Could Will be right? He really hoped not.

**That idea seemed even more crazier than drinking fire. **

"The crazier the saner" Travis reminded everybody.

**How could the two of them wander through Tartarus and find the Doors of Death? They'd barely been able to stumble a hundred yards in this poisonous place without dying.**

**"We have to" Percy said. "Not just for us. For everybody we love.**

Everybody, literally everybody, grinned - even Athena.

Loyalty may be his fatal flaw but damn, that boy really did care for them all.

"Aw bro, you warm the cockles of my heart" Will snickered.

** The Doors have to be closed on both sides, or the monsters will just keep coming through. Gaia's forces will overrun the world"**

**Annabeth knew he was right. Still... when she tried to imagine a plan that could succeed, the logistics overwhelmed her. **

**"**It even overwhelms us" Malcolm stated, looking confused.

**They had no way of locating the Doors of Death. **

"Think positively"

**They didn't know how much time it would take,**

**"**For the love of Hades think positively"

** or even if time flowed at the same speed in Tartarus.**

"That's a good question actually" Rachel said, and everyone turned Athena.

"I do not know I'm afraid, I have not been to Tartarus" And everyone sighed sadly, "But my logicated guess would be, yes, time flows the same in both realms"

** How could they possibly synchronize a meeting with their friends? And Nico had mentioned a legion of Gaia's strongest monsters guarding the Doors on the Tartarus side. **

"Just their blooming luck"

**Annabeth and Percy couldn't exactly launch a frontal assault.**

"Yes, yes you can, do that" A son of Ares urged, his tone of voice suggesting he was out for blood. Everyone rolled their eyes... even Clarisse.

**She decided not to mention any of that. **

**"**But... she just did" Clovis said, eyes drooping.

"No... she thought it, there's a big difference" Malcolm replied stiffly.

**They both knew their odds were bad. **

"Odds don't solidate the outcome" Chiron spoke up wisely.

**Besides, after swimming in the River Cocytus, Annabeth had heard enough whining and moaning to last a lifetime. She promised herself to never complain again.**

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

"Wanna bet brother?" Travis grinned and shook hands with Connor.

"Ten drachma's and you're ON"

**"Well" She took a deep breath, grateful at least that her lungs didn't hurt. "If we stay close to the river, we'll have a way to heal ourselves. If we go downstream-"**

**It happened so fast Annabeth would have been dead if she'd been on her own.**

"Oh Hades what?"

Athena started breathing heavily, her scared eyes locking with Poseidon's. Even the Stoll's were quiet, that's how serious the mood was.

**Percy's eyes locked on something behind her. **

"Arachne" Malcolm spat out and everyone's eyes darkened.

"Make sure she suffers" Thalia raged and Athena gritted her teeth - how dare that monster even lay a hand, or rather, leg on her daughter.

**Annabeth spun as a massive dark shape hurtled down at her - a snarling, monstrous blob with spindly barbed legs and glinting eyes.**

Not just the Athena cabin but everyone, everyone, shivered. It chilled them to the bone.

**She had time to think: _Arachne._**

Everyone growled.

**But she was frozen in terror, **

"MOVE!" People thundered.

**her senses smothered by the sickly sweet smell.**

**The she heard the familiar SHINK of Percy's ballpoint pen transforming into a sword. **

"COME ON PERCY"

**His blade swept over her head into a glowing bronze arc. A horrible wail echoed through the canyon.**

**"**YES" People screamed, and Athena relaxed back into her chair - her daughter was fine... for now.

"I hope that hurt" Thalia muttered, crossing her arms across her chest - but Arachne deserves SO much worse.

**Annabeth stood there, stunned, as yellow dust - the remains of Arachne - rained around her like tree pollen.**

People smirked.

**"You okay?" Percy scanned the cliffs and boulders, alert for more monsters, but nothing else appeared. The golden dust of the spider settled on the obsidian rocks.**

**Annabeth stared at her boyfriend in amazement.**

"He is pretty amazing"

** Riptide's celestial blade glowed even brighter in the gloom of Tartarus. As it passed through the thick hot air, it made a defiant hiss like a riled rattle snake.**

**"She...she would've killed me" Annabeth stammered.**

"Move on Princess before something really does kill you" Clarisse said, fighting past her annoyance - they needed to have sharper senses to survive.

**Percy kicked the dust on the rocks, his expression grim and dissatisfied.**

"That expression... It's scary" Lou Ellen stammered, seeing it numerous times over the war - no one disagreed - it was true.

** "She died to easily, considering how much torture she put you through. She deserved worse"**

Again, despite the fact everyone was thinking that, a shiver ran down their spines. Percy said that? Sweet, caring Percy said that? They could just imagine the way his eyes darkened, how his whole body was rigid and how the anger radiated off him in waves.

He was just as, maybe even more, scarier than the scariest of gods when needed to be.

**Annabeth couldn't argue with that, but the hard edge in Percy's voice made her unsettled. **

"It kinda makes me unsettled too" Thalia admitted, glancing around nervously, "What if... what if... "She stuttered, looking like she didn't want to say this to them, "What if it's not really Percy?" And the silence hung in the air like an impending storm.

"I mean... this doesn't sound like Percy" She defended herself and Rachel turned towards her fearfully.

"Like... like he's possessed or something? Or maybe Gaia's influencing him somehow?" She questioned and Thalia nodded grimly.

'Oh hades' Was everyone's general reaction.

"I really hope not" Poseidon murmured, glancing down.

"Or maybe, I dunno, the Roman camp changed him like this camp did Jason" Katie added, trying not to think about her friend being possessed.

"Yeah... maybe" Thalia replied and everyone was silent again, not really knowing what to say.

**She's never seen someone get so angry or vengeful on her behalf. It almost made her glad Arachne had died quickly.**

"Hate to admit it but.. me too"

** "How did you move so fast?"**

**Percy shrugged. "Gotta watch each other's backs right? Now, you were saying... downstream?"**

**Annabeth nodded, still in a daze. The yellow dust dissipated on the rocky shore, turning to steam. At least now they knew monsters could be killed in Tartarus... **

"Not for long though" Pollux said grimly, ducking his head.

**though she had no idea how long Arachne would take to remain dead. Annabeth didn't plan on staying long enough to find out.**

"Best plan you've had all day" Connor said, with a slight chuckle.

**"Yeah, downstream" She managed. "If the river comes from the upper levels of the underworld, it should flow deeper into Tartarus-"**

**"So it leads into more dangerous territory" Percy finished. "Which is probably where the Doors are. lucky us"**

"Yes, lucky them" Nyssa said, a hard edge to her voice. Poseidon blew out a breath, his whole body completely drained. He held out the book towards Thalia, knowing how close the three of them were.

"Would you like to read the next chapter niece?" He asked politely and Thalia gave a shaky nod, taking the book carefully from his hand.

"Yeah... we better get this show back on the road!"

**Yay another chapter in the bag. Woo hoo! anyway... appreciate y'all for reading and enough reviews and I shall update tomorrow! love y'all! peace out! :-)**


	7. Chapter 7 - ANNABETH

**Disclaimer: PJO or any of the characters do not belong to me! you are all FABULOUS - thanks for favouriting/following/reviewing - I am smiling a lot! :-)**

**Annabeth **Thalia read, her whole mind solely focused on the book in front of her.

**They'd only travelled a few hundred yards when Annabeth heard voices.**

"Oh gods, she's going nuts" Travis exclaimed, pretending to faint against his brother.

"But in all seriousness...they have the worst luck ever" A young Hephaestus camper murmured, shaking his head.

"And that's putting it lightly" Grover murmured, chewing on the end of his reed pipes.

**Annabeth plodded along, **

"You're not _that _fat Annie" Connor joked and Katie leaned around Travis and wacked him over the head.

**half in stupor, trying to form a plan. Since she was the daughter of Athena, plans were supposed to be her speciality, but it was hard to strategize with her stomach growling and her throat baking. **

"That's understandable" Malcolm murmured, half scared and half in awe at his sister - it was a miracle she was still even functioning properly.

"They're still alive, that's the main thing" Rachel reminded everyone, crossing her fingers behind her back.

**The fiery water of the Phlegethon may have healed her and given her strength, but it hadn't done anything for her hunger or thirst.**

"Oh damn, I forgot about their absent supplies" Thalia cursed out loud, shaking her head.

"They're resourceful... they'll probably kill a monster and make stew or something" Nyssa replied, thinking about all the times their friends had escaped tricky situations.

**The river wasn't about making you feel good, Annabeth guessed,**

"Yeah... cause it's in Tartarus" Will exclaimed, with a small smirk.

** it just kept you going so you could experience more excruciating pain.**

"How thoughtful of it" Poseidon said sarcastically, just as the Stoll's were about to say the same thing - they stared at him in awe... Poseidon was awesome.

**Her head started to drop with exhaustion. **

"They need rest" Pollux muttered and Clarisse agreed whole-heartedly.

"They do so they can reach their full fighting capacity" She replied, her knowledge of war kicking in.

**Then she heard them - female voices having some sort of argument - and she was instantly alert.**

"Oh Hades" Everyone murmured and Rachel narrowed her eyes - she had a feeling, probably her Oracle of Delphi side, that this meeting was almost like de'javu.

"Quick, hide" They urged.

**She whispered "Percy, down!"**

"GET DOWN!"

**She pulled him behind the nearest boulder, **

"Oh la la" Will muttered, cheering everyone up somewhat.

**wedging herself so close against the riverbank that her shoes almost touched the river's fire. **

"For God's sake Annabeth I'm not losing you to some stupid river" Thalia grumbled under her breath, gripping the book tighter.

"We're not even a tenth of the way through and I think I'm gonna keel over" Grover gasped, his eyes watering.

"At least Percy has Riptide, they have an advantage" Clarisse told everyone, slipping her hand back into Chris's.

**On the other side, on the narrow path between the river and the cliffs, voices snarled, getting louder as they approached from upstream.**

"Please don't find them, please don't find them..." people prayed and Poseidon and Athena looked as though they had aged a hundred years.

**Annabeth tried to steady her breathing. **

"Must be difficult if you're terrified"

**The voices sounded vaguely human, **

"That means nothing, NOTHING, DON'T FALL FOR IT" Travis screamed at the top of his lungs, making everyone jump out of their seats.

"Okay, calm down" Clarisse growled and many of the campers took deep breaths - they thought it was an attack, an ambush, ANYTHING, but Travis frigging Stoll - he grinned sheepishly.

**but that meant nothing. **

"Exactly - glad we're all on the same page" Travis nodded his head enthusiastically.

**She assumed anything in Tartarus was their enemy. **

"It probably is" Chris agreed, remembering, again, the dark chambers of the Labyrinth and shivering.

**She didn't know how many monsters could have failed to spot them already. Besides, monsters could _smell _demigods**

"I still find that incredibly creepy" Rachel admitted - she remembered Percy and Annabeth explaining it all and that was the one thing that stuck out in her mind.

Thalia chuckled, interrupting her reading, "Everything about them is creepy"

** - especially powerful ones like Percy, son of Poseidon. **

Poseidon looked down guiltily, knowing full well it was true - he was the reason his son was always in so much danger and he cursed himself for it.

**Annabeth doubted that hiding behind a boulder would do any good when the monsters caught their scent.**

"Very true, too true" Clovis muttered, leaning his head against Travis' shoulder who sat there awkwardly.

"Hey mate... you're kinda drooling on my new jumper" He hissed and Clovis shot awake before falling forward, nearly falling head first into the camp fire.

**Still, as the monsters got nearer, their voices didn't change in tone. Their uneven footsteps - _scrap, clump, scrap, clump - _didn't get any faster.**

**"Soon?" One of them asked in a raspy voice, as if she'd been gargling in the phlegethon.**

"Demonic evil thing" Katie stated, fearing for her friends.

"Hey, if Perce and Annabeth have defeated her before they can do it again" Mike, son of Hecate encouraged.

"Yeah... except now it's like a mini army" Thalia replied, leaning forward slightly and patting Grover on the back as he started hyperventilating.

**"Oh my gods!" Said another voice. This one sounded much more human, like a teenage mortal girl getting exasperated with her friends at the mall. **

"That sounds too familiar" Malcolm cringed, looking towards the Aphrodite cabin. When those girls got into fights it was best to stay clear unless you wanted a stiletto in the eye.

"That reminds me... what about Drew?" Miranda Gardener asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Eh... she can stay as Kelp for a bit longer then, well... i'll leave the rest to you guys" Poseidon said with a slight hard smile and immediately the Apollo cabin and Hermes cabin shared excited looks! Ah, this was going to be fun.

**For some reason, she sounded familiar to Annabeth.**

"Same here" Rachel muttered and everyone looked at one another in shock - the Oracle of Delphi must be right.

"So... you think this is a monster they've slain?" Thalia asked - yup, this situation got about a hundred times worse.

"Well that wouldn't be hard, Percy's put about half the monsters down there" Will said and Rachel nodded.

"They know her... I don't know how, but they do" Rachel said in a definite voice.

**"You guys are _totally _annoying! I told you, it's like three _days _from here"**

**"**Ah great, a bratty monster" Hannah moaned, flicking her blonde hair from her face.

**Percy gripped Annabeth's wrist. He looked at her with alarm, as if he recognised the mall girl's voice too.**

"Okay, so percy knows her - this is going swimmingly" Connor said sarcastically and Rachel's eyes went wide.

"Holy Zeus o' mighty... HER" Rachel exclaimed and as everyone sent her questioning looks as she urged Thalia to continue, "Quick, read, I need to know if I'm right"

**There was a chorus of growling and grumbling. **

"Yeah, monster language" Mumbled Chris, smirking, "They're too stupid to understand anything else.

**The creatures - maybe half a dozen, Annabeth guessed - had paused just on the other side of the boulder, but still they gave no indication that they'd caught the demigod's scent.**

"Okay, maybe their luck is turning around" Lacy said optimistically, grinning so it showed her full braces.

"Let's hope so for once" Grover bleated, ripping apart a stash of empty tins that the camp kept for the satyrs - their own recycling system.

**Annabeth wondered of demigods didn't smell the same in Tartarus, or if they other scents were so powerful they masked a demigod's aura.**

"Probably"

**"I wonder" Said a third voice, gravelly and ancient like the first, "If perhaps you do not know the way, young one"**

"Oh a fight's gonna break OUT" Sherman, son of Ares fist bumped the air.

Everyone just shrugged - as long as it wasn't their friends getting in fights then they didn't care!

**"Oh, shut your fang hole, serephone" **

Everyone laughed.

"I may not like these monsters but they do have some interesting take on words" Chris laughed and even Clarisse smirked.

**Said the mall girl. "When's the last time _you _escaped to the mortal world? I was there a couple of years ago.**

Rachel looked like her suspicions had been confirmed and gulped nervously.

** I know the way! Besides, _I _understand what we're facing up there. You don't have a clue!"**

**"The earth mother did not make you boss!" Shrieked a fourth voice.**

"FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT" The Ares cabin shouted, banging their swords and weapons against the logs.

"Okay children, quieten down" Chiron ordered before nodding to Thalia to continue.

**More hissing, scuffling and feral moans - like giant alley cats fighting. At last, the one called Serephone yelled, "Enough!"**

"That was it? No details? No blood?" Mark asked, and Clarisse rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Obviously not now shut up" She growled, getting more annoyed with her family every minute.

**The scuffling died down.**

"Darnit!"

**"We will follow for now" Serephone said. "But if you do _not _lead us well, if we find out you have lied about the summons of Gaia-"**

"Do you think Gaia summoned them personally?" Miranda questioned and Poseidon nodded shakily.

"She's making armies - who better than those wanting revenge from Tartarus" He summarised, fearing more for his son every second.

**"I don't lie" Snapped the mall girl.**

"Liar" Malcolm snarled, "All monsters lie"

** "Believe me, I've got a good reason to get into this battle. **

"You were right" Athena said in amazement as she partially glared at Poseidon.

"Yes" He snapped back, "It does happen"

Thalia continued reading as she felt the ground beneath her shake - they were not going to have a war here thank you.

**I have some enemies to devour, **

"Obviously" Will muttered, rolling his eyes.

**and you'll feast on the blood of heroes.**

"Of course" Travis said sarcastically, "All you monsters are too obvious"

** Just leave one special morsel for me - **

"Let me guess" Lou Ellen said pretending to think...

"Yes, who could it _possibly _be" Chris said sarcastically.

"Maybe the Hero of Olympus by any chance, though that's just a stab in the dark" Connor said and Thalia nodded grimly as she read the next line.

**the one named Percy Jackson"**

Poseidon groaned and ran a tired hand down his face, his poor son.

"He never gets a breaks" Thalia sighed and bowed her head before reading on.

**Annabeth fought down a snarl of her own. **

So did everyone else, especially Poseidon.

**She forgot about her fear. She wanted to jump over the boulder and slash the monsters to dust with her knife... except she didn't have it anymore.**

"That's a shame, because those monsters need cutting down" Clarisse growled, cracking her knuckles.

**"Believe me" Said the mall girl, "Gaia has called us, and we're going to have _so _much fun. Before this war is over, mortals and demigods will tremble at the sound of my name - Kelli!"**

Rachel glared at the book, clenching her fists and Thalia felt like tearing the book apart and throwing it half way across the world.

"Her" Thalia snarled and everyone shared looks of fear.

"Who is she?" Kayla, daughter of Apollo, questioned.

"The empousia who almost killed Percy and I" Rachel said and Thalia nodded, "And who helped turn Luke" And just mentioning his name the whole camp went quiet.

The Hermes cabin gritted their teeth - they still hadn't forgiven Luke for what he did.

Thalia took a deep breath, willing her skin not to cackle with angry energy, and continued on in a hard voice.

**Annabeth almost yelped aloud. She glanced at Percy. Even in the red light of the Phlegethon, his face seemed waxy.**

"You're so nice to your boyfriend Annie" Travis teased.

_**Empousai, **_**she mouthed, _vampires._**

**Percy nodded grimly.**

"Monsters that all male heroes should be aware of" Chiron warned severely.

**She remembered Kelli.**

"Yeah, she's kind of unforgettable" Rachel muttered with a glare.

** Two years ago, at Percy's freshman orientation, he and their friend Rachel Dare **

Rachel grinned from ear to ear, just knowing that Annabeth thought about her in Tartarus, and referred to her as 'friend', made her feel all warm inside.

**had been attacked by _empousai _disguised as cheerleaders. **

"Definitely not a turn on" Mitchell, son of Aphrodite whispered, but everyone heard him anyway.

**One of them had been Kelli. Later, the same _empousa _had attacked them in Daedalus's workshop. Annabeth had stabbed her in the back and sent her... here. To Tartarus.**

"Great" Grover said sarcastically, "So she's out for both their bloods" And the mood turned sullen again.

**The creature shuffled off, their voices getting fainter. **

"Thank the gods they never found them" Lou Ellen sighed, wiping a had across her forehead.

"Seriously Chiron, I think we should consider moving this reading to the infirmary" Will said and many people laughed, thinking he was joking - he wasn't, he had a straight face and everyone could see this was his professional medical opinion.

"Oh"

**Annabeth crept to the side of the boulder and risked a glimpse. **

"Sure way to get you killed Princess" Clarisse stated.

**Sure enough, five women staggered along on mismatched legs - mechanical bronze on their left, shaggy and cloven hooved on their right. **

"As soon as their description was read everyone glanced at Grover's legs, obviously comparing the empousia to Grover and he shuddered.

"I'm not a vampire" He defended, "Or a woman"

"I wouldn't be so sure goat boy - remember the wedding dress incident?" Clarisse smirked and Grover's face went pale.

"I t-thought we weren't g-g-gonna speak about that e-ever again" Grover stuttered, and everyone leant forward in interest but Clarisse's mouth was shut and she was smirking at grover - obviously wanting to use it as blackmail in further chapters. Grover gulped nervously.

**Their hair was made of fire, their skin as white as bone. **

A few snickered as they looked at Grover - apart from the fact his hair wasn't on fire there was a canny resemblance.

**Most of them wore tattered, Ancient Greek dresses, except for the one in the lead, Kelli, who wore a burnt and torn blouse with a short pleated skirt... her cheerleader's outfit.**

Rachel blinked and then let out a laugh.

"Ahaha... she has to walk around Tartarus in _that?" _She chuckled more, "Ah, that's a cure in itself"

**Annabeth gritted her teeth. She had faced a lot of bad monsters over the years, but she hated _empousia _more than most.**

"Yeah... I think all males do" Mike chuckled.

**In addition to their nasty claws and fangs, they had a powerful ability to manipulate the Mist. **

The Hecate cabin cringed and many people frowned in sympathy. Did Annabeth think like that about them?

"She doesn't mean you guys, Annabeth's not like that" Thalia reassured the Hecate cabin and they nodded in understanding.

**They could change shape and charmspeak, tricking mortals into letting down their guard. Men were especially suscepitile. **

The girl's smirked and the boys frowned - dammit.

**The _empousia's _favourite tactic was to make a guy fall in love with her, then drink his blood and devour his flesh. **

"Not a great first date" Lacy said, no sarcasticness in her voice just sadness and Thalia smirked.

**Not a great first date.**

Everyone smiled and Lacy grinned - she was like a daughter of Athena? sweet!

**Kelli had almost killed Percy. **

Poseidon, and practically all the camp snarled - any reminder that they almost lost Percy sent tremors

**She had manipulated Annabeth's oldest friend, Luke, **

Thalia looked incredibly angry and the sky darkened - it was all Kelli's fault, she thought, all her fault even though the rational part of her mind said "NO" - Luke made his choice. Just thinking about it made her feel a hundred emotions so she continued reading.

**urging him to commit darker and darker deeds in the name of Kronos.**

"OH MY HADES" Screamed Jake Mason, "KRONOS IS DOWN IN TARTARUS WITH PERCY AND ANNABETH" Looking frantic and the whole camp collectively gasped.

"Oh no"

"GET OUT OF THERE"

"Damn Kronos"

"He better not touch a hair on their head"

"Their luck SUCKS"

Poseidon shared an uneasy glance with Athena and Grover started sniffling.

"Kronos will want revenge" Lou Ellen muttered sadly and Katie closed her slack jaw.

"Tartarus is a big place though... he might not even know they're there" Katie said hopefully but Athena shook her head.

"Oh trust me... he will" She said darkly and the mood was now completely flat and the tension was high.

**Annabeth really wished she had her dagger.**

"Me too" Clarisse grumbled.

**Percy rose.**

**"**Like a sky-scraper, oh oh ohhh" Connor sung to himself, trying to lift his own mood.

** "They're heading for the Doors of Death" he murmured, "You know what that means?"**

"Yeah... more danger" Rachel sighed, shaking her head - if only she could give Percy and Annabeth her blue plastic hairbrush, even just for good luck.

**Annabeth didn't want to think about it, but sadly this squad of flesh-eating horror-show women might be the closest thing to good luck they were going to get in Tartarus.**

**"**Then they must go"

**"Yeah" She said. "We need to follow them"**

Thalia finished reading and snapped the book shut with so much force the spine of the book protested.

"This sucks you know that? This is so completely crazy that I feel like punching someone" She said, letting out a noise of anger and throwing the book at Grover who caught it nervously.

"The next chapter is LEO" Grover stated and the whole cabin looked up, but especially the Hephaestus cabin.

"I'm sorry but you all must go to bed, now, we shall continue this first thing" And the whole camp sent his sad looks but Chiron had made his mind up.

"Now" He repeated and the whole camp slumped to their cabins and Athena followed her children. Poseidon was the only one that remained, staring wistfully across the lake that was now calm.

"I'm so sorry son" He murmured before slinking to the Poseidon cabin, hoping this way, he could feel closer to his son.

**YAY ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! I'm seriously enjoying this! Anyway, i'm so sorry but i won't be able to update for 2-3 days as I have a test/exam/thingy coming up but i do hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please please please review - love y'all! :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - LEO PART 1

**Disclaimer: PJO or any of the characters do not belong to me! sad! ha! Again thanks so so so much for all your support! :) So, this is the first and ONLY time i will be splitting a chapter in half - I just couldn't leave you guys hanging for another day as i did homework- forgive me! haha! **

No-one in Camp Half-Blood had woken up quite so eager before. As soon as Six o'clock arrived and the sun was peaking up against the mountains, everyone was out of bed, showered, dressed and fidgeting at the pavilion, lining up to grab their breakfast so they could hurry up and read the book.

The Stoll's sat down at the Hermes table, bashing their plates down and, as quick as they could go, sacrificed about half the meat on their plates from breakfast (what? They hated eating healthily) and a packet of their favourite M&M's - just to keep their dad pleased.

Just less than ten minutes later, no more, did Travis jump and grab a hold of his brother's arm in shock.

"Connor... Look" He pointed towards a crumpled up napkin had just appeared on the Hermes altar.

Connor, wide eyed, picked up the napkin and as he read it his jaw went slack and he felt his whole body going into shock.

"What? What is it?" Travis asked and all Connor could do was grin widely and jump up and down, attracting the attention of the whole camp who were just about to trot down to fire so they could continue reading.

"Oh my Gods - THIS IS A NOTE FROM ANNABETH, IT'S A NOTE FROM ANNABETH" He screamed and everyone broke out into shocked questions and happy glances.

"It says, '_Connor, _

_Give this to Rachel. Not a prank. Don't be a moron. _

_Love, _

_Annabeth_' He read, excitement filling his voice. Thalia and Rachel pushed forward, eyes brimming with tears as Connor handed Rachel the napkin that clearly had Annabeth's hand-writing on it. Connor smiled, feeling honoured than Annabeth had wrote to him, he couldn't remember a time in the last few months that he had felt so happy. Poseidon had a grin on his face and Athena looked to be near tears - everyone could see they were happy to have heard from their children.

"This must be the prophecy Rachel said when she joined us" Chiron stated, his brown eyes wide and happy.

Rachel read the note, over and over again, and finally glanced at Chiron, a determined glint in her eyes.

"Chiron - there's some place I need to be" She said mysteriously, folding up the napkin and placing it in her breast pocket, right near her heart.

That was why, less than half an hour later, the camp bid farewell to Rachel and her accompanist Grover, packing them up with all the supplies they could ever possibly need.

"Stay safe my child, but I'm sure Grover will guide you" Chiron said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Rachel smiled, flicking her red hair from her face.

"I would trust him with my life" She said and Grover blushed right up to his horns.

"Just... stick together and for the love of Hades don't be afraid to use a pointy weapon if you have to" Thalia said, giving Rachel and Grover a quick, rare hug.

"We will" Rachel chuckled, stepping out of the embrace, "And anyway, this is something Annabeth has asked us to do, we're not taking that lightly" She whispered and Thalia blinked away the tears in her crystal blue orbs.

"We give you both our blessing" Poseidon told them, jutting his head towards Athena and stepping forward, placing a calloused hand on Rachel's frizzy hair, "I hope you succeed" And with that they all bid farewell, hopeful now that they could win this war.

A few minutes later everyone had congregated back around the camp fire, more content than they had been in a while.

"It's-it's a miracle though" Katie said in awe as she took the book gingerly in her hands, ready to read.

"Yeah, trust Prissy and Princess to sent a note from the depths of Tartarus" Clarisse smirked, her heart swelling with - pride was it? - for her friends.

"The big question is... where in Hades did they find a pen and napkin?" Travis asked, grinning as he rested his feet on the log near-by. The camp laughed joyfully, their worries seeming to leave their bodies as soon as they heard from Annabeth.

"They're resourceful" Athena praised, sitting amongst her children.

"I guess we should read" Katie said, excitement in her voice as she flicked to the right page, clearing her throat.

**LEO **She said and the Hephaestus cabin smiled - they were finally going to hear about their brother.

**Leo spent the night wrestling with a forty-foot Athena.**

Because the mood was so light, each cabin laughed, even the Athena cabin smiled.

"I think I'm going to like this chapter" Connor smirked as he laid back, getting prepared to laugh at Leo's thoughts.

**Ever since they'd brought the statue aboard, Leo had been obsessed with figuring out how it worked. **

"Sounds like Leo" Nyssa smirked, "Always so obsessive about mechanics" And everyone nodded.

"Remember when he found bunker nine? He wouldn't come out of there for days at a time" Chris grinned goofily.

**He was sure it had primo powers. **

"Not the kind of powers you're assuming young demigod" Athena said, a twinkle in her grey eyes.

**There had to be a secret switch or a pressure plate or something.**

"And not everything has to be mechanical" She stated and the Hephaestus cabin looked up in shock.

"Everything has some sort of mechanics, even the human body to some degree, but also, to an extent so does magic" Jake argued and many people looked at him in shock. Was he arguing with a goddess? _The goddess of wisdom? _Athena turned towards him.

"Mechanics are very limited to-" She started but Jake cut her off, "Actually, mechanics, however basic, have been around before the men of this world could use wisdom to the full degree - in fact, they didn't exactly know what it was" He told her, obviously in a debate voice. Athena's eyes glinted and Nyssa nudged Jake in warning and Poseidon cleared his voice.

"Yes, yes, and the sea was there before both of those things, let's move on" He said, winking at Katie to carry on. She smiled in return. Athena huffed out a breath - she would prove them wrong!

**He was supposed to be sleeping, **

"Always a little rebel"

**but he just couldn't. He spent hours crawling over the statue, which took up most of the lower deck. **

"Pretty big there" Lacy muttered in awe, not thinking before she spoke, and Athena glared at her.

"I didn't mean, not like that... I just meant-" She stuttered, looking incredibly nervous that Katie took pity on her and read on.

**Athena's feet stuck into the sick bay, so you had to squeeze past her ivory toes if you wanted some painkillers.**

"As long as you don't break them" Athena muttered worriedly, and Poseidon rolled his eyes - much like Percy does.

"It's more than two millennium's old - I hardly doubt a demigod could break it" He shot back and Athena had to restrain herself from sending a flock of owls at him.

"That's not the point" She replied hastily before glaring at him. Katie gulped.

**Her body ran the length of the port corridor, her outstretched hand jutting into the engine room, offering the life sized figure of Nike that stood in her palm, like, _here, have some victory! _**

Most of all the Hermes and Apollo cabin laughed to the point where people were holding their stomachs.

"Ah Leo, my man, you are comedy gold" Travis said, fist-bumping the air in happiness.

"Imagine the pranks" Connor sighed in awe, already planning them all.

**Athena's serene face took up most of the aft Pegasus stables, which were fortunately unoccupied.**

"Than goodness - wouldn't want his spawn near my statue" Athena said and Poseidon blew out a deep breath and the lake got more wilder. He decided to remain calm - be the adult, he thought, you're thousands of years old, so just stubbornly turned his head the other way.

** If Leo were a magic horse, **

"Never thought I'd hear that"

**he wouldn't have wanted to live in a stall with an oversized goddess of wisdom staring at him.**

Many people braced themselves in case Athena got mad but all she did was huff angrily and cross her legs delicately - people sighed in relief.

**The statue was wedged tight in the corridor, so Leo had to climb over the top and wriggle under her limbs, searching for lever and buttons.**

"Ooooh saucy" Wil muttered in the Chris' ear causing them both to chuckle - Athena heard and glared, shutting them both up immediately.

**As usual, he found nothing.**

"Give it time, patience my boy" Chiron's eyes twinkled, as if he knew things that no one else did.

**He'd done some research on the statue. **

"And that right there is a miracle" Malcolm said in awe, never ever, in all of Leo's time at Camp half-blood, seen him doing research - or in fact, any kind of work which involved a book or some mild brain usage.

"Maybe we've had a good effect on him" Hannah smiled, joyous as well.

**He knew it was made from hollow wooden frame covered in ivory and gold, **

The whole of the Athena cabin looked to be in complete amazement, love evident in their eyes. Athena smiled proudly, glad to know that the statue had been recovered.

"All this fuss for a statue?" Clarisse grumbled, bitterness swelling in her chest as she realised that it was it's fault her friends fell in the first place.

Malcolm, seeming to understand what she meant, closed his mouth and looked sound sombrely - it was true, but he hoped that, in the end, it would all be worth it.

**which explained why it was so light. **

"See mum? They didn't mean that you were fat" A very young Athena cabin said, smiling a toothless grin. Athena lost her rage and smiled in return.

**It was in pretty good shape, **

"A.K.A" Connor whispered loudly, "He thinks Athena is hot" And those on the surrounding vicinity heard him, smothered their laughter.

Sometimes, they really did enjoy having the Stoll's here!

**considering it was more than two thousand years old and had been Pillaged from Athens, toted to Rome and secretly stored in a spider's cavern for most of the past two millennia. **

**"**Damn spider" Thalia muttered, anger brimming to the surface once again.

"Percy killed it though, remember?" Clarisse reminded her and Thalia smirked.

"Oh yeah... and she totally deserved that" She replied, pushing the plaguing thoughts to the back of her mind that Percy's dark side was finally emerging... just like Luke's. Thalia shuddered and shook her head - No, Percy was the good guy, he's fine, probably just Tartarus messing with him, she reassured herself.

**Magic must've kept it intact, Leo figured, combined with really good craftsmanship.**

"Craftsmanship is very important" Shane agreed, nodding his head.

"And so is magic, don't forget about magic" Mike protested, and Shane nodded slightly.

"I guess so too" He replied, slightly nervous about the idea of magic.

**Annabeth had said... well, he tried not to think about Annabeth. **

"he blames himself" Thalia recognised, feeling sorry for her brother's best friend.

"But he shouldn't, it wasn't his fault - it was Arachne's" Nyssa protested, feeling bad for her brother.

"We know that" Thalia sighs, "But he doesn't"

**He still felt guilty about her and Percy falling into Tartarus. **

"Please don't Leo" Nyssa begged to the book and Travis nodded his head.

"Yeah mate, I'm sure you did everything you could and more" Travis reassured.

**Leo knew it was _his _fault. **

"NO IT WASN'T"

**He should have got everyone safely on board the argo ll before he started securing the statue. **

"If he starts blaming himself for that then he may as well blame everyone else because everyone, however big or small, had a part to play in this, choosing their own paths" Malcolm stated, shaking his head, "It wasn't his fault" He repeated for emphasis and everyone agreed whole-heartedly.

**He should have realised the cavern roof was unstable.**

"No-one could know that" Poseidon said, stroking his beard in thought.

**Still, moping around wasn't going to get Percy and Annabeth back.**

"Exactly" Clarisse agreed, nodding her head, "Keep your chin up and carry on" She advised.

** He had to concentrate on fixing the problems he could fix.**

"And Leo can fix just about anything" Jake piped up, seeing, first-hand, what his brother could do - it was pretty darn amazing.

"Agreed" An Aphrodite girl murmured, fanning her face - she always thought Leo was cute but, oh boy, when he was working... she bit her lip to stop the smile spreading across her face in delight. He was _so _adorable.

**Anyway, Annabeth had said the statue was the key to defeating Gaia.**

"Then... it-it was worth it" Thalia said, sounding like she regretted the words she said.

"I hate to agree with you niece but... I-I think it was" Poseidon muttered, looking absolutely heartbroken, "I care for my son more than anything and knowing he is down there tears me apart but I also have the greatest faith in him - he's a hero and a fine one at that" Poseidon said to the group as a whole and everyone, everyone, nodded in agreement. "The last time I lay eyes on my son was when Hera woke him from his slumber.. he was alone, terrified, weak but yet he still had that determination in his eyes that he would return to his home and at that moment I didn't think I would feel such pain" Poseidon said sadly, "That he didn't even recognise his own father as he passed him in San Francisco yet this is worse" But when Poseidon looked up, he was smiling through the pain. "But Percy's a Hero and I believe if anyone can defeat Gaia and bring her to her knee's... it's Percy and his friends" Poseidon finished his speech and everyone was looking at him in awe.

Then suddenly, out of no where, campers started clapping, encouragingly clapping for their friends.

"Alas Uncle you are right" Athena sighed, "Faith is important and that we must have"

"I'm sorry what?" Poseidon asked, smirking, "What did you just say?" He asked in fake deafness.

"I said you were right fish" She grumbled, sitting back down, "And that doesn't happen very often"

** It could heal the rift between Greek and Roman demigods. **

"And we've got it" Mike grinned, his spirits having lifted considerably.

**Leo figured there had to be more to it than just symbolism. **

"Maybe, maybe not" Chiron said mysteriously, "But don't underestimate it" And everyone looked confused. Did Chiron know the statue? They thought in shock!

**Maybe Athena's eyes shot lasers, or the snake behind her shield could spit poison. **

"Afraid not Valdez" Athena smiled warmly.

**Or maybe the smaller figure of Nike came to life and busted out some ninja moves.**

Everyone smiled joyfully.

"Hahaha, I wish that could happen" Will grinned from ear to ear.

**Leo could think of all kinds of fun things the statue might do if _he _had designed it, **

"But unfortunately you didn't"

**but the more he examined it, the more frustrated he got.**

"I get what you mean Leo" Poseidon muttered under his breath but Athena still heard him, sending an icy grey glare his way and then completely ignoring him. Poseidon smirked.

**The Athena Parthenos radiated magic. Even _he _could feel that. But it didn't seem to do anything except look impressive.**

"Just wait and see it's full potential" Athena advised wisely.

**The ship careened to one side, taking evasive manoeuvers. **

"But other people can fly the ship yeah?" A young Hecate cabin member asked, fearful.

"Let's hope" Travis replied joyfully and Katie smacked him over the head.

"OW WOMAN"

**Leo resisted the urge to run to the helm. Jason, Piper and Frank were on duty with Hazel right now. **

"Thank the gods for that"

**They could handle whatever was going on. Besides, Hazel had insisted on taking the wheel to guide them through the secret pass that the magic goddess had told them about.**

"Let's hope it's right" Clarisse grumbled and the Hecate cabin looked offended.

"Mother wouldn't so anything to jeopardise this quest - she's on our side"

**Leo hoped Hazel was right about the long detour north. He didn't trust this Hecate lady.**

The Hecate cabin just looked down sadly - would they or their mother ever be accepted?

"Give him time, Leo's very hard-headed" Nyssa advised kindly.

** He didn't see why such a creepy goddess would suddenly decide to be helpful.**

**"**Most Gods and Goddesses are like that" Thalia chuckled.

**Of course, he didn't trust magic in general. That's why he was having so much trouble with the Athena Parthenos. It had no moving parts. Whatever it did, it apparently operated on pure sorcery... and Leo didn't appreciate that. He wanted it to make sense, like a machine.**

Everyone laughed in unison because that was _exactly _Leo - he was just like that.

"Told ya so" Jake muttered happily.

**Finally he got too exhausted to think straight. He curled up with a blanket in the engine room and listened to the soothing sound of the generators.**

"Soothing sound?" Thalia asked in shock, "More like 'You want to kick it till it shuts up sound'"

Everyone laughed.

** Buford the mechanical table sat in the corner on sleep mode, making little steamy snores: _shhh, pfft, shh, pfft._**

"Awwwww"

"Love that table"

"Such a cutie"

**Leo liked his quarters okay, **

"Well I would hope so... he built them" Nyssa chuckled.

**but he felt safest here in the heart of the ship - in a room filled with mechanisms he knew how to control. Besides, maybe if he spent more time close to the Athena Parthenos, he would eventually soak in its secrets.**

"I doubt it child" Chiron muttered, a small smirk playing on his lips.

**"It's me or you big lady" **

**"**I am NOT big" Athena protested in outrage, grey eyes sparkling.

"He means the statue" Poseidon rolled his eyes playfully and Katie rushed on with the reading.

**He murmured as he pulled the blanket up to his chin, "You're gonna cooperate eventually". He closed his eyes and slept. Unfortunately, that meant dreams.**

"The awful demigod dreams" Thalia said knowing full well what Leo meant. Just then two figures materialised beside Katie, causing her to let out a shriek and spin around in fear. There stood Apollo and Hermes, grinning like two schoolboys.

"Sorry we're late, have we missed anything?"

**And that is it for today! Hope you enjoyed and please please please review! :) again sorry for splitting it in half but i had to, no more time to type anymore out! Hopefully the remaining part of the chapter out tomorrow! :) peace out! **


	9. Chapter 9 - LEO PART 2

**DISCLAIMER: PJO or it's characters don't belong me! thanks again for all your lovely support! :)**

"_Dad?" _The Hermes and Apollo's cabins shouted in shock though they soon smiled in joy.

"Yeah... sorry we're late, our little Roman counterparts weren't being very cooperative" Apollo grinned, prancing forward and squeezing himself amongst his children while Hermes winked at his children who grinned back madly.

"Well, I dare say you have missed a lot" Chiron said, trotting forward wearing a small, welcoming smile.

"Mmmmh?" Hermes said, looking around for an explanation.

"Basically, Hazel met Hecate - Nico's sister whom he brought back from the dead - they have to travel to Greece to shut the doors of death whereas Percy and Annabeth have fallen into Tartarus and have to find the doors on the other side, battling the horrendous conditions and now we are on Leo's chapter" Explained Travis in one deep breath, his voice becoming more strained towards the end,

"Oh sweet Hades over a boiling pan" Muttered Apollo, sharing a shocked look with Hermes.

"Yeah... that was like our reaction" Thalia said, giving a small chuckle. The two gods sat there before snapping out of their trances.

"We must continue then" Hermes said with a wide grin, "Just to stop Uncle P from having heart failure" He winked at Katie and she blushed, focusing back on the book in her hands.

**He was running for his life through his mother's old workshop, where she'd died in a fire when Leo was eight.**

"Poor Leo" Nyssa commented - from what they knew about Leo's mom she was awesome and he missed her a lot.

"Demigod dreams suck" Thalia exclaimed, sympathising with Leo greatly.

**He wasn't sure what was chasing him,**

"Probably a monster" Connor grinned, "COMING TO EAT YOU" And a few chuckled, more light-hearted because they knew it was a dream and not real.

** but he sensed it closing fast—something large and dark and full of hate.**

**"**A.K.A... everything" Will said helpfully, in a sarcastic tone.

**He stumbled into workbenches, knocked over toolboxes, **

"Clumsy" Chris smirked.

**and tripped on electrical cords. **

"And then got electrocuted - the end" Apollo grinned and he and Hermes chuckled, the sound vibrating around the camp.

**He spotted the exit and sprinted toward it, but a figure loomed in front of him—a woman in robes of dry swirling earth, her face covered in a veil of dust.**

"Gaia" Everyone snarled at the same time, anger etched on their faces.

"I hope she dies... painfully" Poseidon growled and Apollo and Hermes shared a nervous look.

"Beware, last time he looked this mad a massive tide invaded Mexico" Hermes said, straight faced making the younger campers gasp. Both of them smirked - they were still just as good as ever.

**_Where are you going, little hero? _****Gaea asked. ****_Stay, and meet my favorite son._**

**Leo darted to the left, but the Earth Goddess's laughter followed him.**

"She's mocking him" Thalia stated with a growl, "Why that little..." She trailed off into a bunch of ancient Greek curses which made Athena turn pale and for Hermes and Apollo to smirk.

"Oh you go girl" Apollo said, snapping his fingers in a 'Z' formation.

"Don't encourage the young maiden" Athena smirked and everyone could tell she was loosening up ever so slightly.

**_The night your mother died, I warned you. I said the Fates would not allow me to kill you _****_then. But _**_**now **_**_you have chosen your path. Your death is near, Leo Valdez_**

"No it is NOT" Nyssa shrieked suddenly, "Leo may be a lot to handle but he's my brother and you _two-faced cow _are not going to take him away from us" She snarled and everyone nodded.

"No-one's going to die, no-one should have to die" Malcolm said, his feet tapping nervously.

"It's war" Sherman said boldly, "People do" and Clarisse shook her head, going against her brother.

"Not if they're good enough" She retaliated and Katie continued on in a shaky voice.

**He ran into a drafting table—his mother's old workstation. The wall behind it was decorated with Leo's crayon drawings. **

"That's kind of adorable" Katie admitted, smiling.

"Yeah, imagine Leo as a little scrawny kid" Will howled with laughter and soon everyone joined in.

**He sobbed in desperation **

At this everyone frowned - poor Leo, he didn't deserve to have to go through this.

**and turned, but the thing pursuing him now stood in his path—a colossal being wrapped in shadows, its shape vaguely humanoid, its head almost scraping** the** ceiling twenty feet above.**

"Can people die in dreams?" Nyssa asked nervously and Athena sucked in a breath.

"It's unlikely but given the right circumstances... yes" She said and everyone bowed their heads.

"Yeah but that's like, one in a million chance - Gaia won't let him die that easily" Poseidon said and then realising his mistake of 'Gaia won't let him die easily "Uh... never-mind" He muttered, knowing if he continued to speak then he'd just dig himself into a deeper hole.

**Leo's hands burst into flame.**

**"**Don't do that young hero" Athena moaned and everyone's eyes widened considerably. What?

** He blasted the giant, but the darkness consumed his fire. **

"That's... impossible" Lacy said, covering her mouth with her hand.

**Leo reached for his tool belt. **

"Ah, the trusty toolbelt" Connor smirked - he wished he had one!

**The pockets were sewn shut.**

"Oh for the love of Hades" Jake cursed.

** He tried to speak—to say anything that would save his life—but he couldn't make a sound, as if the air had been stolen from his lungs.**

**_My son will not allow any fires tonight, _****Gaea said from the depths of the warehouse. ****_He is the _****_void that consumes all magic, the cold that consumes all fire, the silence that consumes all speech. _**

"So basically... impossible to kill" Thalia summarised, "Great" She said without any real excitement.

"Honestly, the people on this quest is like a magnet for trouble" Miranda Gardener said, shaking her head.

"Welcome to the life of demigods" Travis said, spreading his arms wide as if he was at an opening ceremony.

**Leo wanted to shout: ****_And I'm the dude that's all out of here! _**

Despite the situation, everyone chuckled and Hermes and Apollo were leaning on each other for support.

"My gods, I _love _this kid" Apollo said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Us to" Will laughed.

**His voice didn't work, so he used his feet.**

"He used his feet... to talk?" Clovis yawned tiredly and when everyone thought about how that would work - they laughed.

"Man I wanna see that" Connor exclaimed.

** He dashed to the right, ducking under the shadowy giant's grasping hands, and burst through the nearest doorway.**

"Woohoo, GO LEO"

**Suddenly, he found himself at Camp Half-Blood, except the camp was in ruins. **

Everyone stayed quiet, some remembering the visions that Hazel saw when she met Hecate.

"Oh please no" Katie moaned and everyone looked like they agreed.

**The cabins were charred husks. **

Everyone flinched.

**Burned fields smoldered in the moonlight. **

Some had tears in their eyes.

**The dining pavilion had collapsed into a pile of white rubble,**

"Poor food" Will said under his breath, not at all concerned with the food but he was fed up with being depressed.

** and the Big House was on fire, its windows glowing like demon eyes.**

Chiron glanced down - he knew he shouldn't be upset about something as trivial as a house but he had lived there for years, it was where he belonged.

**Leo kept running, sure the shadow giant was still behind him.**

**"**Probably is"

**He wove around the bodies of Greek and Roman demigods. **

"So we're all... dead?" Shane muttered and no on responded - it was war after all.

**He wanted to check if they were alive. **

**"**I would blooming hope so Valdez" Mark snarled, son of Ares, clinging to his sword.

"It's a dream - chill" Nyssa growled back, sticking up for her brother.

**He wanted to help them. But somehow he knew he was running out of time.**

"Exactly - we're not dead yet, we can at least now see what Leo's dream means" Malcolm said, nodding his head in agreement.

**He jogged **

"Yeah, just a nice relaxing jog as a monster tries to devour him alive" Connor said, grinning madly.

**toward the only living people he saw—a group of Romans standing at the volleyball pit. **

"THE ROMANS KILLED US?" People hollered, anger, sadness and revenge written all over their faces.

"Yeah we'll see about that" Clarisse glowered, looking more angry than people had ever seen her.

**Two centurions leaned casually on their javelins, chatting with a tall skinny blond guy in a purple toga. **

"Unbelievable"

**Leo stumbled. It was that freak Octavian, the augur from Camp Jupiter, who was always screaming for war.**

"I wonder who that sounds like" Hannah rolled her eyes, glancing at the Ares cabin whom just nodded, bloodthirsty looks on their faces.

**Octavian turned to face him, but he seemed to be in a trance.**

"Gaia's controlling him" Poseidon said in shock, eyes wild like the sea.

"Just like Luke" Thaia murmured sadly though Hermes heard and stared down at the ground, eyes brimming with tears - his poor Luke!

** His features were slack, his eyes closed. When he spoke, it was in Gaea's voice: ****_This cannot be prevented. The Romans move east _****_from New York. They ad_****_vance on your camp, and nothing can slow them down. _**

"We'll slow them down" Miranda said, making the grass com alive around her, "We didn't just survive a war with Kronos to die by the hands of his hag of a mother" She snarled and everyone agreed - they weren't going to let that happen.

**Leo was tempted to punch Octavian in the face.**

"I would be to mate" Jake grinned.

"I would" Clarisse retaliated, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

** Instead he kept running.**

"Or that could work too"

**He climbed Half-Blood Hill. At the summit, lightning had splintered the giant pine tree.**

Thalia looked saddened by the news and tried to brush it off.

"Ironic huh? My tree... destroyed by lightning" But no one smiled - that tree was apart of Camp Half-blood, it seemed wrong without it.

**He faltered to a stop. The back of the hill was shorn away. Beyond it, the entire world was gone.**

"Oh my Hades" Malcolm exclaimed while everyone was in shock.

"It seems realer, more dangerous reading about what might happen" Hannah piped up, shaking her head in disapproval.

"But it gives us more of an incentive to fight" Clarisse said, "Now we know about the Romans every moves and can track Gaia" She said, trying to give everyone hope - it worked a little.

**Leo saw nothing but clouds far below—a rolling silver carpet under the dark sky.**

**A sharp voice said, "Well?"**

**Leo flinched.**

So did everyone else.

**At the shattered pine tree, **

Thalia growled - that was _her _tree and that hag better leave it alone of else.

**a woman knelt at a cave entrance that had cracked open between the tree's roots.**

**The woman wasn't Gaea. **

"Huh! Then who is it?" Questioned Katie, interrupting her own reading.

Athena, realising who it might be, looked down grimly.

**She looked more like a living Athena Parthenos, **

At that Athena looked up in shock, "She is _not_ me" She snarled and everyone just stayed quiet - they liked having all their limbs.

**with the same golden robes and bare ivory arms.**

** When she rose, Leo almost stumbled off the edge of the world.**

"Like I said before... clumsy" The Aphrodite girl smiled, finding those qualities about him endearing.

"Jeezo Leo" Jake exclaimed before smirking, "Ha, that rhymes"

**Her face was regally beautiful, **

"Don't compliment her" People exclaimed in shock.

**with high cheekbones,**

"Maybe Benedict Cumberbatch is related to her" A high pitched, female Aphrodite kid stated. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

"Who?" Most campers questioned, furrowing their eyebrows - the Aphrodite kid rolled her eyes.

"Never mind - you don't have good taste" She sighed sadly.

** large dark eyes, and braided licorice-colored hair piled in a fancy Greek hairdo, set with a spiral of emeralds and diamonds so that it reminded Leo of a Christmas tree.**

"KILL HER THEN" Sherman said, eyes wide, soaking in every bit of information and Clarisse rolled her eyes.

** Her expression radiated pure hatred. Her lip curled. Her nose wrinkled.**

"Unattractive" The Aphrodite cabin said, shaking their heads in disapproval.

**"The tinkerer god's child," she sneered. **

"Don't talk about our dad like that" Little Harvey spoke up, looking furious.

"Yeah, or we'll show you what the _tinker gods children _can do" Nyssa stated, feeling incredibly angry. No-one insulted her family like that.

**"You are no threat, **

"He's dangerous, these people ought to stop underestimating us"

**but I suppose my vengeance must start somewhere. Make your choice."**

"No more choices please" Lacy begged and everyone agreed whole heartedly - it would only lead to disaster.

**Leo tried to speak, but he was about to crawl out of his skin with panic. **

"I would be too bro" Jake admitted.

**Between this hate queen and the giant chasing him, he had no idea what to do.**

"Does he ever?" Travis smirked, making people chuckle, lightening the mood slightly.

**"He'll be here soon," the woman warned. "My dark friend will not give you the luxury of a choice. It's the cliff or the cave, boy!"**

"That was so kind of her" Thalia grumbled in a sweet voice, "But unfortunately he's not going to die" She thundered.

**Suddenly Leo understood what she meant. He was cornered. **

"Bad luck"

**He could jump off the cliff, but that was suicide.**

**"**Sherlock Holmes" The same Aphrodite kid mentioned and giggled with her friends.

"What is tha- you know what, I'm not gonna ask" Katie said, shaking her head before reading again.

** Even if there was land under those clouds, he would die in the fall, or maybe he would just keep falling forever.**

"Which wouldn't be good" Clovis said, shaking his head tiredly.

**But the cave… He stared at the dark opening between the tree roots. It smelled of rot and death.**

"Such an endearing smell, don't you think brother?" Travis questioned and Hermes and Apollo smirked.

"Oh yes, perfect for dates" And everyone let out a laugh at that.

**He heard bodies shuffling inside, voices whispering in the shadows.**

**The cave was the home of the dead. **

"And this is the time you want a child of the underworld" Miranda murmured - see? They had _such _bad luck it was kind of unbelievable.

**If he went down there, he would never come back.**

**"**Choices" Poseidon said, shaking his head, "I really hate them" And Hermes smirked.

"Don't we know it - he takes a whole day trying to decide the right cleaning products for his trident" And Poseidon blushed as the whole camp laughed.

"You're so gonna pay for that later" Apollo whispered and Hermes shrugged.

"Eh, it was so worth it" He laughed quietly under his breath.

**"Yes," the woman said. Around her neck hung a strange bronze-and-emerald pendant, like a circular labyrinth. Her eyes were so angry, Leo finally understood why ****_mad_**** was a word for ****_crazy_****.**

"Like you then" And people smiled - Leo was mad and crazy, but in a good way and they all loved him for it.

**This lady had been driven nuts by hatred. **

"Yeah, see what happens - you Ares kids better be careful" Thalia warned, smirking in their direction while they just growled in response - proving Thalia's point.

**"The House of Hades awaits. You will be the first puny rodent to die in my maze. You have only one chance to escape, Leo Valdez. Take it." She gestured toward the cliff.**

"Don't you dare" Everyone hissed.

**"You're bonkers," he managed.**

"Leo, Leo, Leo, you sure know how to cheer everyone up" Chris laughed, looking at everyone smiling.

"That is true"

**That was the wrong thing to say. **

**"**Nah, really? Telling an all powerful goddess she's bonkers is a right compliment?" Will muttered sarcastically.

**She seized his wrist. "Perhaps I should kill you now, before my dark friend arrives?"**

"Perhaps not" Nyssa said, clenching her fists - she just wanted her brother to come home safely, that was all.

**Steps shook the hillside. The giant was coming, wrapped in shadows, huge and heavy and bent on murder.**

**"**Like most Giants then" Thalia summarised, shaking her head nervously.

**"Have you heard of dying in a dream, boy?" the woman asked. "It is possible, at the hands of a sorceress!"**

"You leave him alone" Nyssa said and everyone nodded.

"So help me god, you touch him... I'll burn you alive over a roasting pot" Clarisse said, her voice dangerously low.

**Leo's arm started to smoke. The woman's touch was acid. He tried to free himself, but her grip was like steel.**

Everyone was quiet, listening intently while Shane and Harvey, the younger Hepheastus campers, covered their ears.

**He opened his mouth to scream. The massive shape of the giant loomed over him, obscured by layers of black smoke.**

**The giant raised his fist,**

!Gasp!

** and a voice cut through the dream.**

**"**Thanks the gods he's awake" Jake murmured, wiping a hand across his brow.

"It was a close one" Miranda agreed sadly.

**"Leo!" Jason was shaking his shoulder. **

Thalia smiled in genuine joy - it was the first time she had read about her brother and was so so so glad he was okay. People smiled at Thalia smiling - what? It was infectious!

**"Hey, man, why are you hugging Nike?" **

The tension before had gone, knowing Leo was alright, and people let out bursts of laughter - even Athena managed a small smile.

**Leo's eyes fluttered open.****His arms were wrapped around the human-sized statue in Athena's hand. **

"Oh my Gods" Connor exclaimed, leaning on his brother for support, "I wish my man Jason got a photo of that"

"Classic Leo" Katie smiled.

**He must have been thrashing in his sleep. He clung to the victory goddess like he used to cling to his pillow when he had nightmares as a kid. (Man, that had been ****_so_**** embarrassing in the foster homes.)**

"It's a natural thing my child" Chiron reassured, smiling lightly.

"But seriously... hugging a statue?" Hermes exclaimed, having only just calmed down when he burst into laughter again, Apollo not far behind him.

**He disentangled himself and sat up, rubbing his face.**

People were still laughing - glad there was some humorous things in the text.

**"Nothing," he muttered. **

"Yeah, totally nothing except having a love affair with Nike" Connor laughed, holding his side.

The whole of the Apollo and Hermes cabins, including their fathers, were still in stitches.

"Ah Leo, gold star comedian"

**"We were just cuddling. Um, what's going on?" **

**"**Cuddling?" Chris said with a straight face before he lost it too, most campers trying to catch their breath. When Travis pointed out the look on Athena's face that just made them laugh even more - her jaw was slack, eyes narrowed and looking like someone just ran over her puppy.

**Jason didn't tease him. That's one thing Leo appreciated about his friend. **

Thalia smiled - she was proud of her brother right now, prouder than she'd ever been.

**Jason's ice-blue eyes were level and serious.**

**"**It's a serious situation" Malcolm nodded but the Connor and Travis took one look at one another before bursting into another fit of laughter.

"Hahaha, he still hugged Nike"

** The little scar on his mouth twitched like it always did when he had bad news to share.**

Despite the 'bad news thing' Thalia smirked - that little scar, she still remembered to this day how he did it and chucked quietly - ah Jason.

**"We made it through the mountains," he said. "We're almost to Bologna. You should join us in the mess hall. Nico has new information."**

Katie snapped the book shut, smiling like an idiot.

"Leo's chapter is over" She announced, throwing the book to Chris who caught it in his hands expertly. But, before he could read, as people we anxious for him to do so, a figure was blundering it's way through the woods. Chris dropped the book and everyone drew their weapons, ready for attack.

"Why the pointy weapons? Tyson is here" Tyson announced, smiling goofily as Ella the harpy sat on his shoulders, plucking away at his head.

**YAY, I really love writing this! next chapter out in a few days and please don't forget to review - they mean the world and are encouraging me to write more! love y'all, peace out! xx**


	10. Chapter 10 - LEO

**Disclaimer: PJO or characters do not belong to me - thanks for all your lovely support! :)**

"Tyson" Thalia grinned, smiling at the cyclopes that had just blundered his way through camp. Everyone exhaled in relief and dropped their weapons, glad atleast it wasn't some crazed Romans there to tear their heads off.

"Hi" Tyson chirped, giving a little dance, "Tyson saw brother Percy, brother Percy was fighting with big pointy swords" He grinned but his face fell, "Tyson misses his brother" He murmured and everyone gulped - They would have to tell him eventually, it was enivitable.

But before they could, Tyson spotted Poseidon in the crowd and grinned manically.

"DADDY" He screamed, pelting full first into Poseidon's open arms who caught him expertly.

"Son, it's good to see you - how was the trip?" He asked, only then recognising the harpy sat on Tyson's shoulders, "And who is this?"

"Ella, this is pretty Ella" He told everyone, smiling goofily. The Aphrodite cabin "Awww'd" while Tyson blushed.

"_To the North, beyond the gods, lies the legion's crown,_

_Falling from ice, the son of Neptune shall drown_"

Ella muttered nervously, flapping her wings and holding on tighter to Tyson.

"Wait, what? What was that?" Apollo asked, eyes wide.

"Good Ella knows everything, brother explained it to me" Tyson chirped, looking around like an excited five year old.

"But does that mean Percy?" Thalia exclaimed, looking scared to death while Apollo was looking at Ella like she was his christmas present.

"It must have been in his last quest, when he was at the Roman camp" Poseidon explained, looking a bit nervous himself.

"But he couldn't have drowned if he's in..." Thalia trailed off, nodding her head downwards.

"All propecies have a double meaning" Apollo said, looking to be in a daze, "Anyway... Ella... it's nice to meet you all knowing one" He joked and Ella fluttered about in excitement.

"_Wisdom's daughter walks alone,_

_the Mark of Athena burns through Rome_"

She said again, leaving people more confused than ever.

"Well... that was... interesting" Chris muttered, staring at the Harpy in awe.

"Ella is intersting, Ella is funny" Tyson blushed again. Everyone looked toward Poseidon as if to say 'Well...are you going to tell him?' But Poseidon muttered "Later", not wanting to hurt his son just yet.

"Okay then, Tyson... we're reading about our friends' adventures" Chris explained, opening the book and seeing it titled 'Leo' again and grinned - He loved Leo's point of view.

"Yay" Tyson exclaimed, clapping his hands, "Tyson can hear about Brother's adventures" And he failed to notice the way everyone looked down sadly.

**LEO HAD DESIGNED the mess hall's walls to show real-time scenes from Camp Half-Blood.**

"That was sweet of him" Travis said, holding a hand over his heart.

"But kind of creepy... he's spying on us" Connor whispered, grinning manically.

**At first he had thought that was a pretty awesome idea.**

"It is, they'll feel better on the ship" Nyssa nodded her head, agreeing with her brother.

**Now he wasn't so sure.**

"Oh"

**The scenes from back home —the campfire sing-alongs, dinners at the pavilion, volleyball games outside the Big House—**

Everyone smiled - yes they did all that but it didn't feel right when their friends were away, fighting in dangerous territory.

**just seemed to make his friends sad.**

"They're homesick" Lact said sadly, she couldn't imagine being hundreds of miles from home, the thought made her feel ill.

**The farther they got from Long Island, the worse it got. The time zones kept changing, making Leo feel the distance every time he looked at the walls.**

"I forgot about that" Thalia admitted, shock written all over her face, "So now it could be halfway through their day" And everyone nodded in realisation.

"Damn timezones" Clarisse muttered angrily.

**Here in Italy the sun had just come up. Back at Camp Half-Blood it was the middle of the night.**

"Exactly"

**Torches sputtered at the cabin doorways. Moonlight glittered on the waves of Long Island Sound. The beach was covered in footprints, as if a big crowd had just left.**

"It must have just been the fourth of July" Will said, "Cause we only had that celebration last week" And Chiron looked up in interest.

"The book events must then overlap with the present time into the future" He explained, looking amazed himself.

**With a start, Leo realized that yesterday—last night, whatever—had been the Fourth of July.**

"Yes, i was right" Will fist-bumped the air in triumph.

**They'd missed Camp Half-Blood's annual party at the beach with awesome fireworks prepared by Leo's siblings in Cabin Nine.**

"They really were awesome" Jake grinned, proud at himself and his siblings for their work.

"Yeah, i especially liked the fireworks that were shaped into the Argo II - that was probaby my favourite" Nyssa agreed, nodding her head.

"And we can thank Leo for that idea" Shane grinned happily.

**He decided not to mention that to the crew, but he hoped their buddies back home had had a good celebration.**

"We did... but it wasn't the same without you guys" Hannah admitted - she always had her fourth of July celebration with her sister Annabeth, but this year was different - unfortunately.

**They needed something to keep their spirits up, too.**

"And that's why we have the terror twins" Chris grinned and the Stolls high fived eachother while Hermes looked on, proud.

**He remembered the images he'd seen in his dream —the camp in ruins, littered with bodies; Octavian standing at the volleyball pit, casually talking in Gaea's voice.**

"Yeah, thanks for that Leo - we're all back to being depressed again" Thalia grumbled and Tyson frowned, looking up at Poseidon.

"Daddy, Tyson doesn't understand, why is people sad?" He question and Poseidn avoided looking at him in the eye.

"You'll find out son"

**He stared down at his eggs and bacon. He wished he could turn off the wall videos.**

**"So," Jason said, "now that we're here…"**

Thalia looked up like a meercat at the mention of her brother - she had been ever so worried about him and hearing him speak calmed her down somewhat.

**He sat at the head of the table, kind of by default.**

"Don't get me wrong, Jason makes a good leader but it just seems... wierd" Malcolm stated, shaking his head at the idea.

"I know what you mean" Shivered Savannah - she hadn't been here long but still... Percy and Annabeth were their leaders and they were perfect for the job.

**Since they'd lost Annabeth,**

"Annabeth is lost?" Questioned Tyson, "But it's okay, brother will find her" He reassured everyone, his one big eye sad and dreary. Poseidon winced.

**Jason had done his best to act as the group's leader. Having been praetor back at Camp Jupiter, he was probably used to that; but Leo could tell his friend was stressed. His eyes were more sunken than usual. His blond hair was uncharacteristically messy, like he'd forgotten to comb it.**

Thalia sighed sadly - he was her little brother and she was supposed to protect him and she was doing a pretty sucky job at it.

**Leo glanced at the others around the table. Hazel was bleary-eyed, too, but of course she'd been up all night guiding the ship through the mountains.**

"Dedicated young hero" Athena nodded, a small smile on her face.

**Her curly cinnamon-colored hair was tied back in a bandana, which gave her a commando look that Leo found kind of hot**

The camp chuckled, especially the Heres and Apollo cabins.

"Oh Leo mate you are so whipped" Travis laughed as Will wolf whisled.

The Aprodite camper called Zoe, who liked Leo, looked down in sadness.

**and then immediately felt guilty about.**

"She probably has a boyfriend" Mitchell spoke up, and Lacy fully agreed with him

**Next to her sat her boyfriend Frank Zhang,**

"Told ya so"

**dressed in black workout pants and a Roman tourist T-shirt that said CIAO! (was that even a word?). Frank's old centurion badge was pinned to his shirt,**

"Yeah... that makes no sense... THEY'RE YOUR ENEMIES" Malcolm shouted, shaking his head in exasperation.

**despite the fact that the demigods of the Argo II were now Public Enemies Numbers 1 through 7 back at Camp Jupiter.**

"I'm glad Leo agrees with me" Malcolm nodded.

**His grim expression just reinforced his unfortunate resemblance to a sumo wrestler.**

"A sumo wrestler?"Connor howled, gasping for breath.

"Man, i really want Leo back" Will smiled.

**Then there was Hazel's half brother, Nico di Angelo.**

Thalia got ready to glare at anyone that so much as grimaced at the name. As there was no Drew (She was still Kelp) no one said anything - they were probably too scared to.

**Dang, that kid gave Leo the freaky-deakies.**

"Okay, even i have to agree with that" Thalia chuckled, "Death breath sure knows how to make people uncomfortable"

"Exactly why he would be great at pranks" Travis grinned and everyone groaned.

**He sat back in his leather aviator jacket, his black T-shirt and jeans, that wicked silver skull ring on his finger, and the Stygian sword at his side.**

"He sure likes the whole 'dark, mysterious' style" Lacy commented and everyone looked at her with their eyebrows raised.

"I didn't mean-not like... no..." She stuttered and Chris laughed, carrying on the next sentence.

**His tufts of black hair stuck up in curls like baby bat wings.**

Everyone chuckled.

"I'm so gonna compare him to a bat when he gets here" Chris smiled.

**His eyes were sad and kind of empty,**

Phoebe looked down, "He's been like that since young Bianca passed" She said and everyone felt a pang in their hearts - Nico had lost the only family he had, no wonder he was bitter and angry.

**as if he'd stared into the depths of Tartarus —which he had.**

"Brave young demigod" Chiron said sadly, folding his hands.

Poseidon closed his eyes, communicating with the water nymphs under the water - he owed his brother a lot after the last war so the least he could do was tell him his only son was okay... so far!

**The only absent demigod was Piper,**

"Why? What happened to Piper?" Mitchell demanded, worry filling his voice.

"I'm sure she's fine" Hannah soothed, urging Chris to read the next lines.

**who was taking her turn at the helm with Coach Hedge, their satyr chaperone.**

"Oh thank Hades"

**Leo wished Piper were here.**

"Don't we all" Lacy murmured.

**She had a way of calming things down with that Aphrodite charm of hers.**

"Which will definitely come in handy" Mike said, nodding his head.

"Which shows not all Aphrodite children are useless" Lacy sniffed.

**After his dreams last night, Leo could use some calm.**

"We could all use some calm"

**On the other hand, it was probably good she was above deck chaperoning their chaperone. Now that they were in the ancient lands, they had to be constantly on guard. Leo was nervous about letting Coach Hedge fly solo. The satyr was a little trigger-happy, and the helm had plenty of bright, dangerous buttons that could cause the picturesque Italian villages below them to go BOOM!**

"Yes, that is Mr Hedge for you" Chiron chuckled, shaking his head, "He is inclined to violence"

"He would do good in our team of capture the flag" Clarisse grinned, already thinking about all the possibilities.

"Or ours" Malcolm grinned, staring into Clarisse's eyes - everyone could see them battling against one another silently, fighting over the absent coach Hedge.

**Leo had zoned out so totally he didn't realize Jason was still talking.**

**"—the House of Hades," he was saying. "Nico?"**

**Nico sat forward. "I communed with the dead last night."**

"I love how he's so casual about it" Apollo grinned, "like yeah, it's fine, we're cool" He chuckled and everyone laughed with him.

**He just tossed that line out there, like he was saying he got a text from a buddy.**

"See? even leo agrees!" Apollo excalimed.

**"I was able to learn more about what we'll face," Nico continued.**

"That's good then" Athena commented, "He is a valuble member of the team"

Most people agreed.

**"In ancient times, the House of Hades was a major site for Greek pilgrims. They would come to speak with the dead and honor their ancestors."**

"Okay, the Greeks are weird" Clovis said, pushing himself up - not knowing how much he had just insulted the gods.

"Eh, Clovy... you're Greek" Hannah rolled her eyes in amusement.

**Leo frowned. "Sounds like Día de los Muertos. My Aunt Rosa took that stuff seriously." He remembered being dragged by her to the local cemetery in Houston, where they'd clean up their relatives' gravesites and put out offerings of lemonade, cookies, and fresh marigolds.**

"What a waste of fooooooood" Travis moaned and Hermes and Apollo looked down in feux sadness.

"It is true... we must mourn this great loss" They murmured making everyone chuckle.

"Goodbye food" Tyson said so seriously, his one big eye large and sad, that made everyone laugh - gods Tyson was so funny.

**Aunt Rosa would force Leo to stay for a picnic,**

"Her and Nico would get on _great _then" Thalia smirked and Will looked up.

"Well... technically... he is over seventy years old, it could be like a date"

And the whole camp howled in laughter - that was true though.

**as if hanging out with dead people were good for his appetite.**

"That could be an experiment we could undertake" A young Hermes camper muttered, nudging his brother though everyone heard him.

**Frank grunted. "Chinese have that, too —ancestor worship, sweeping the graves in the springtime."**

"Oh, part chinese... interesting" Athena hummed under her breath.

**He glanced at Leo. "Your Aunt Rosa would've gotten along with my grandmother." Leo had a terrifying image of his Aunt Rosa and some old Chinese woman in wrestlers' outfits, whaling on each other with spiked clubs.**

"Okay, it's official, i freaking love this kid" Hermes said and his children nodded along in agreement.

"So, when can we expect to hear the happy news?" Apollo grinned and Hermes pushed him off his seat playfully.

**"Yeah," Leo said. "I'm sure they would've been best buds." Nico cleared his throat.**

"Serious dude that" Mike snickered under his breath.

**"A lot of cultures have seasonal traditions to honor the dead, but the House of Hades was open year-round. Pilgrims could actually speak to the ghosts.**

"Would be kind of nice" Thalia said, imangining just being able to speak with her mother... just one last time.

"Yeah... but creepy"

**In Greek, the place was called the Necromanteion, the Oracle of Death. You'd work your way through different levels of tunnels, leaving offerings and drinking special potions—"**

**"Special potions," Leo muttered. "Yum."**

"Exactly what we were thinking bro" Travis chuckled light-heartedly.

**Jason flashed him a look like, Dude, enough. "Nico, go on."**

"Ah, always the gentlemen" A few Aphrodite girls fanned their faces and Thalia cringed away - he was her brother, hearing that just freaked her out.

**"The pilgrims believed that each level of the temple brought you closer to the Underworld, until the dead would appear before you. If they were pleased with your offerings, they would answer your questions, maybe even tell you the future."**

"Just like our very own Rachel" Will smirked and Connor grinned,

"Yeah, except she's more likeable"

**Frank tapped his mug of hot chocolate. "And if the spirits weren't pleased?"**

"The most awful things would happen" Athena muttered gravely, and everyone just looked at one another - aw crap.

**"Some pilgrims found nothing," Nico said. "Some went insane, or died after leaving the temple. Others lost their way in the tunnels and were never seen again."**

Chris for the millionth time, shuddered - everything in this book related, somehow, back to the labyrinth which made him flashback to when he was there.

_He clawed at the walls in desperation, nails breaking, fingers bleeding - anything to just get out of there - the walls seemed to mock him as he screamed - his own worst nightmares coming true right before his eyes._

He shook himself, no - that wasn't real, he was safe and sound - no tunnels suffocating him.

**"The point is," Jason said quickly, "Nico found some information that might help us."**

"Yeah... but it's probably not very good information" Malcolm spoke up.

**"Yeah." Nico didn't sound very enthusiastic.**

"See"

**"The ghost I spoke to last night…**

"I love how he says it so casually like, yeah, we just met up, had a chat, oh y'know... the usual" Hermes smirked and Apollo grinned at him.

**he was a former priest of Hecate. He confirmed what the goddess told Hazel yesterday at the crossroads.**

"We told you our mother wasn't lying" Savannah said and many people looked down in guilt.

**In the first war with the giants, Hecate fought for the gods. She slew one of the giants —one who'd been designed as the anti-Hecate. A guy named Clytius."**

"Really hate that guy" Poseidon said, shaking his head - all of the Olympians agreed.

**"Dark dude," Leo guessed. "Wrapped in shadows."**

"Of course... the dream" Katie said, "At least now they have more information" She said hopefully, trying to look on the bright side of things.

**Hazel turned toward him, her gold eyes narrowing. "Leo, how did you know that?"**

"Don't mistrust him" Nyssa almost growled, eyes flashing - they were all on the same team, they should trust each other.

"**Kind of had a dream."**

"And that one sentence can explain so much" Thalia said, having a few of her own dreams, or rather nightmares.

"Brother gets bad dreams" Tyson murmured, looking around with his wide eye, "Brother Percy doesn't like them" He said and Thalia sent him a gentle smile - they would have to tell him sooner or later. When she looked at Poseidon he simply looked down - he didn't want one son greiving for the other.

**No one looked surprised. Most demigods had vivid nightmares about what was going on in the world.**

"Yeah... and they suck" Clarisse grumbled - she had had a few, not as bad as Percy, Nico or Thalia, but they still made her feel something Clarisse didn't feel often - fear, pure and simple.

**His friends paid close attention as Leo explained. He tried not to look at the wall images of Camp Half-Blood as he described the place in ruins.**

Everyone shivered, a cold chill running down their spines.

"And we're _not _going to let that happen" Everyone nodded at that simple statement - no, it would not happen, definitely not.

**He told them about the dark giant, and the strange woman on Half-Blood Hill, offering him a multiple-choice death.**

"Eh... at least it was kind of her" Travis grinned and Katie whacked him around the head, making people chuckle - they should get together soon... many had bets on them, much like they did with Percy and Annabeth.

**Jason pushed away his plate of pancakes.**

"Jason, dude... think about the food" Connor moaned pitifully.

**"So the giant is Clytius. I suppose he'll be waiting for us, guarding the Doors of Death."**

"Gaia would only appoint her best" Athena sighed, "Which undortunately means yes"

**Frank rolled up one of the pancakes and started munching**

"I think i like this Frank guy - he understands me" Connor smirked and his dad grinned at him.

**— not a guy to let impending death stand in the way of a hearty breakfast.**

"Exactly"

**"And the woman in Leo's dream?"**

"Saucy Frank" Mitchell grinned, his Aphrodite side showing.

People grinned - he really _did _have a sense of humour.

**"She's my problem." Hazel passed a diamond between her fingers in a sleight of hand.**

"The cursed one" Ella murmured, ducking her head into Tyson's shoulder who patted her back sloppily.

"It's my new OTP" Lacy grinned and Thalia looked like she was about to ask what that was but shook her head - she didn't w_ant _to know.

**"Hecate mentioned a formidable enemy in the House of Hades —a witch who couldn't be defeated except by me, using magic."**

**"Do you know magic?" Leo asked.**

**"Not yet."**

"I bet they're all happy to hear that" Clarisse said as she rolled her eyes.

"She'll have to practise" Savannah murmured, "magic is hard enough, especially for non children of Hecate" Savannah spoke up and, just for a second, people looked defeated.

**"Ah." He tried to think of something hopeful to say, but he recalled the angry woman's eyes, the way her steely grip made his skin smoke. "Any idea who she is?" Hazel shook her head. "Only that…" She glanced at Nico, and some sort of silent argument happened between them.**

"Good, Leo's picking up on it" Athena nodded her head, "Maybe now they could all stop keeping secrets - it would make the quest more successful" Everyone nodded their haed in agreement.

**Leo got the feeling that the two of them had had private conversations about the House of Hades, and they weren't sharing all the details.**

"Wow... he's right" A few exclaimed in shock.

**"Only that she won't be easy to defeat."**

"I think that's a given..." Thalia grinned, electric blue eyes alight with humour.

**"But there is some good news," Nico said.**

"Wow, really? Seems unlikely" Clovis yawned, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"There's always hope" Chrion added wisely.

**"The ghost I talked to explained how Hecate defeated Clytius in the first war. She used her torches to set his hair on fire. He burned to death. In other words, fire is his weakness."**

Many people looked hopeful.

**Everybody looked at Leo.**

"I'm afraid his fire abilties will not work on this giant" Athena sighed - beginning to get anxious about her daughter... she wanted to get back to her chapters.

**"Oh," he said. "Okay."**

"Very intelligent answer Leo" Hannah grinned happily.

**Jason nodded encouragingly, like this was great news** —like he expected Leo to walk up to a towering mass of darkness, shoot a few fireballs, and solve all their problems.

Everyone laughed - diffusing the tension.

"If only it was that easy" Miranda chuckled, throughly amused by Leo's train of thought - much like everyone else was.

**Leo didn't want to bring him down, but he could still hear Gaea's voice: He is the void that consumes all magic, the cold that consumes all fire, the silence that consumes all speech.**

"So basically... if Leo used his powers... it would be more of a danger to him than the giant?" Phoebe asked carefully, wrapping her mind around it all.

"I'm afraid so young maiden" Athena said grimly.

**Leo was pretty sure it would take more than a few matches to set that giant ablaze.**

"Yeah... maybe just _a few"_ Chris grinned sarcastically.

**"It's a good lead," Jason insisted. "At least we know how to kill the giant. And this sorceress… well, if Hecate believes Hazel can defeat her, then so do I." Hazel dropped her eyes.**

"Aw that was so sweet of him" Girls gushed and Thalia rolled her eyes.

Was she seriously going to have to listen to this throughout the whole reading?

Looking around at the girl's faces... the answer was probably yes.

Great, just blooming _fantastic._

**"Now we just have to reach the House of Hades, battle our way through Gaea's forces—"**

"Easy peasy" Apollo grinned

**"Plus a bunch of ghosts," Nico added grimly. "The spirits in that temple may not be friendly."**

"Simple" Hermes added

**"—and find the Doors of Death,"**

"No problem at all" Will smirked.

**Hazel continued. "Assuming we can somehow arrive at the same time as Percy and Annabeth and rescue them."**

"Rescue? Brother doesn't need rescuing" Tyson said and pain flared up into Poseidon's eyes.

"Son... your brother... and Anabeth-" He got choked up as Tyson's large eye swiveled around to meet his, "They're in trouble... they uh, they fell into Tartarus" He stuttered and everyone watched as Tyson's face fell and large tears formed in his eye.

"P-P-Percy" He stuttered before bursting into tears, clinging to Poseidon's shirt in desperation, "Daddy we must save h-him" He cried and people had to look away as Poseidon patted his back in sympathy.

"We can't Ty" He said, using his nickname, "But they'll make it, you believe that don't you?" He questioned and Tyson tried to stop crying but failed.

"B-Brother is strong" He simply said as Poseidon conjured up a tissue, handing it to his son.

"I miss him daddy" Tyson said sadly and Poseidon nodded, eyes gaunt, "Me too Tyson, me too" And the camp went quiet bar a few sniffles from Tyson.

Chris decided to carry on reading, just to break the awful, dead pan silence.

**Frank swallowed a bite of pancake. "We can do it. We have to." Leo admired the big guy's optimism. He wished he shared it.**

"We're trying too" Connor said, sharing a look with his brother.

**"So, with this detour," Leo said, "I'm estimating four or five days to arrive at Epirus, assuming no delays for, you know, monster attacks and stuff."**

"I'm sorry but attacks are likely to happen" Miranda cringed.

**Jason smiled sourly. "Yeah. Those never happen."**

"I like your sarcasticness sir" Connor nodded in approval.

**Leo looked at Hazel. "Hecate told you that Gaea was planning her big Wake Up party on August first, right? The Feast of Whatever?"**

**"Spes," Hazel said. "The goddess of hope."**

"Yeah, so there will be no hope left" Clarisse grumbled, "These guys better kick her ass-butts" She added, seeing the disaproving glare Chiron sent her, "Butts" She said and everyone nodded - they had to win, they just had to.

**Jason turned his fork. "Theoretically, that leaves us enough time. It's only July fifth.**

"seven days ago" Lacy muttered, wondering what her friends were up to now - something dangerous most likely.

**We should be able to close the Doors of Death, then find the giants' HQ and stop them from waking Gaea before August first."**

"They can do it... I know they can" Thalia nodded.

**"Theoretically," Hazel agreed. "But I'd still like to know how we make our way through the House of Hades without going insane or dying."**

"They will think of something i'm sure" Malcolm piper up.

"Yeah, and if not they have much to look forward to" Travis said, ducking behind his brother to avoid Katie's fist.

**Nobody volunteered any ideas.**

"Positive attitude _right _there"

**Frank set down his pancake roll like it suddenly didn't taste so good. "It's July fifth. Oh, jeez, I hadn't even thought of that.…"**

**"Hey, man, it's cool," Leo said. "You're Canadian, right? I didn't expect you to get me an Independence Day present or anything…unless you wanted to."**

The tension lifted, again, just by Leo's simple comment.

"Seriously, i want to meet this guy" A young Hermes camper spoke up - never had spoken to Leo properly before.

"Well brother... you won't regret it" Connor grinned.

"He sure knows how to lighten the mood though" Malcolm smirked.

**"It's not that. My grandmother…she always told me that seven was an unlucky number. It was a ghost number. She didn't like it when I told her there would be seven demigods on our quest. And July is the seventh month."**

"Okay, that is definitely no coincidence" Thalia murmured and Chrion nodded.

"It means something" Was all he said.

**"Yeah, but…" Leo tapped his fingers nervously on the table. He realized he was doing the Morse code for I love you,**

"OH MY HADES, ZEUZ AND POSEIDON" Will screamed, laughing gleefully at the same time, "HE'S CONFESSING HIS LOVE FOR FRANK" And everyone laughed - Clarisse who was taking a drink of water choked, making tears run down her cheeks.

"Leo Valdez" Chris pretended to scold, but the smirk gave him away.

"There's nothing wrong with homosexuality" Phoebe spoke up whilst all the hunters nodded - it was true, they had no problem with it.

**the way he used to do with his mom, which would have been pretty embarrassing if his friends understood Morse code.**

"Then just thank the gods they can't"

**"But that's just coincidence, right?" Frank's expression didn't reassure him.**

**"Back in China," Frank said, "in the old days, people called the seventh month the ghost month.**

"So reassuring"

**That's when the spirit world and the human world were closest. The living and the dead could go back and forth. Tell me it's a coincidence we're searching for the Doors of Death during the ghost month."**

"It means something i just don't know what" Athena said sharply and everyone could see her mind working a million miles an hour.

"Wow, Athena doesn't _know something? _shocker" Poseidon said and Athena shot him a glare.

Oh great, many thought, the war was back.

Poseidon just grinned in response.

**No one spoke.**

"Too afraid to probably"

**Leo wanted to think that an old Chinese belief couldn't have anything to do with the Romans and the Greeks.**

"Unfortunately, it's entirely possible young one" Chiron sighed, folding his hands across his chest.

**Totally different, right?**

"Nope"

**But Frank's existence was proof that the cultures were tied together. The Zhang family went all the way back to Ancient Greece. They'd found their way through Rome and China and finally to Canada.**

"Been around, haven't they?" Hermes said, winking at Apollo who dissolved into laughter.

**Also, Leo kept thinking about his meeting with the revenge goddess Nemesis at the Great Salt Lake. Nemesis had called him the seventh wheel, the odd man out on the quest.**

"You're not the odd one out Leo - you're useful, and needed" Nyssa backed her brother up whilst everyone nodded - they needed Leo, they really did, they would be no where without them.

**She didn't mean seventh as in ghost, did she?**

"I really hope not" Everyone groaned sadly, they didn't want anyone to die or become a ghost dammit.

**Jason pressed his hands against the arms of his chair. "Let's focus on the things we can deal with. We're getting close to Bologna. Maybe we'll get more answers once we find these dwarfs that Hecate—"**

Everyone chuckled light-heartedly.

"I can just tell - this meeting with the dwarfs is going to be hilarious" Hannah grinned, trying to contain her laughter.

"I can't wait for that" Connor agreed, sharing a look with hannah but imemdiately turning away, cheeks burning.

His brother just howled in laughter.

**The ship lurched as if it had hit an iceberg.**

"Titanic" Mark, son of Ares said, eyes burning, "Maybe now there will finally be some action" He grinned.

"It better not turn out like the titanic" Thalia growled, narrowing her eyes - her brother was aboard that ship, nothing better happen to it.

**Leo's breakfast plate slid across the table.**

"Again, that poor food" Connor said pitifully, pretending to wipe his eyes.

**Nico fell backward out of his chair and banged his head against the sideboard.**

"Oh, ow" People muttered, wincing.

**He collapsed on the floor, with a dozen magic goblets and platters crashing down on top of him.**

"And got squished" A young Apollo camper said, bouncing up and down in his seat which made people chuckle.

**"Nico!" Hazel ran to help him.**

"Caring sister" Chiron observed, nodding his head in approval.

"It's nice Nico finally has someone... it's good to hear about it" Phoebe said with a small, understanding smile on her face.

**"What—?" Frank tried to stand, but the ship pitched in the other direction. He stumbled into the table and went face-first into Leo's plate of scrambled eggs.**

Despite the situation, a few tight chuckles were let lose.

"AGAIN WITH THE FOOD" Connor screamed, holding his head in his hands.

**"Look!" Jason pointed at the walls. The images of Camp Half-Blood were flickering and changing.**

"Impossible" Nyssa said, "Leo built that ship to perfection"

**"Not possible," Leo murmured.**

"Exactly"

**No way those enchantments could show anything other than scenes from camp, but suddenly a huge, distorted face filled the entire port-side wall: crooked yellow teeth, a scraggly red beard, a warty nose, and two mismatched eyes** **—one much larger and higher than the other. The face seemed to be trying to eat its way into the room.**

"I think they've found the dwarf's" Malcolm observed.

"They better not hurt them" Thalia growled but Malcolm shook his head.

"They're more like trouble makers" He contradicted.

**The other walls flickered, showing scenes from above deck. Piper stood at the helm, but something was wrong. From the shoulders down she was wrapped in duct tape, her mouth gagged and her legs bound to the control console."**

The Aphrodite cabin looked towards the book in shock.

"Oh Pipes" Mitchell said and they all looked worried for their sister.

**At the mainmast, Coach Hedge was similarly bound and gagged,**

"Must've taken alot for that" Clarisse said, knowing how completely aggravating he could be.

**while a bizarre-looking creature** **—a sort of gnome/chimpanzee combo with poor fashion sense—danced around him, doing the coach's hair in tiny pigtails with pink rubber bands.**

"They have to take a picture of that" Travis grinned, and everyone laughed at that image - it would be great blackmail material, might come in handy one day.

**On the port-side wall, the huge ugly face receded so that Leo could see the entire creature —another gnome chimp, in even crazier clothes.**

"How is that possible?" A few laughed.

**This one began leaping around the deck, stuffing things in a burlap bag** —Piper's dagger,

*gasp*

**Leo's Wii controllers.**

"Okay, Leo is gonna get mad" Jake exclaimed and Nyssa nodded.

"Nobody touches his stuff and gets away with it" She agreed and Mark winced slightly - he had been attacked by a table for stealing one of his screwdrivers... not exactly a good memory.

**Then he pried the Archimedes sphere out of the command console.**

"So proud of him for getting that" Nyssa grinned - her brother really was something.

**"No!" Leo yelled.**

**"Uhhh," Nico groaned from the floor.**

**"Piper!" Jason cried.**

**"Monkey!" Frank yelled.**

**"Not monkeys," Hazel grumbled. "I think those are dwarfs."**

**"Stealing my stuff!" Leo yelled, and he ran for the stairs.**

By the last line Chris could hardly breath - the way their sentences went together was just epic. The whole camp were laughing, even Athena who allowed a small smile.

"I love this book" Katie murmured, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"The book is funny" Tyson agreed, the first smile showing on his face since he had learnt of his brother's fate.

"But before the next chapter" Poseidon said, interupting Chris who was about to throw the book to Miranda, "What are we going to do about our little... problem?" Poseidon grinned, nodding his head towards the lake.

Everyone's head swivelled around, eyes immediately lighting up when they say the lone bit of kelp, swaying slightly on the lake.

"Oh this is gonna be _so much fun" _Travis grinned, along with everyone else.

**Woop, i'm done - realistically i will be updating every 2-4 days - it is alot to type out remember! :) anyway, please leave your thoughts, they encourage me to keep writing - thank you! xx :)**


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